50 secs, 8 bullets, 1 death: Cops hunt for 4 hired killers a day after Suvendu Adhikari's aide killing; seized bike’s chassis number erased

SILIGURI/BARASAT: Siliguri police on Wednesday night detained a vehicle owner in north Bengal for questioning in connection with the murder of Chandranath Rath, the personal assistant of Suvendu Adhikari, after investigators found that the vehicle used in the crime carried a Siliguri registration number.

"The vehicle that allegedly blocked Rath's car has been seized. However, the number plate was fake," said Bengal DGP Siddh Nath Gupta. The hatchback owner, William Joseph, a tea garden employee and currently residing at Haler Math in Shivmandir under Matigara-Naxalbari constituency, was taken to the police station overnight after the registration number was traced to Siliguri.



During investigation, police examined CCTV footage and identified the registration number of the vehicle used by the attackers. Verification through the RTO led investigators to Siliguri, following which Director General of Police Siddhinath Gupta reportedly instructed the Siliguri Police Commissionerate to immediately begin inquiries.

Police later found that the registration number belonged to Joseph's vehicle. Officers from Matigara Police Station reportedly brought him to Pradhannagar Police Station for questioning late at night. However, after detailed interrogation, investigators found that Joseph had no connection with the murder.

According to police sources, Joseph had posted an online advertisement on an online marketplace nearly two weeks ago to sell the vehicle, which still remains parked at his residence. Investigators now suspect that the registration number may have been copied from the online advertisement and illegally used on the vehicle involved in the crime.

"Police took me for questioning at night and I showed them all the documents related to my vehicle. Only later did I learn through the news that my car number had allegedly been used in a murder case. The vehicle is still with me, but naturally the entire incident has left me frightened," Joseph said.

Apart from the car, two motorbikes were used in Wednesday night's murder. One of them has been seized by Barasat district police from near a tea shop nearly 4 km from the crime scene. The hunt for the second bike is still on. "The probe is ascertaining if another bike was involved in the crime. This bike was ahead of the SUV. The two other bikes, their riders without helmets, moved behind the SUV. The owners of these bikes are being identified and will be questioned," said an officer.

Initial probe has revealed that just like the hatchback, the number plate of the seized motorbike is also fake and the chassis number had also been erased, making it difficult to trace the owner.

It is reported that the recovered bike is registered under the name of one Bibhas Bhattacharya from Burnpur, Asansol. The address is listed as a factory quarter there. The bike was registered in 2012. However, no one named Bibhas currently resides at that address. Since 2014, a factory worker named Dharmabir Kumar has been living there. Dharmabir stated that he did not know anyone by that name and had not purchased any bike at this address himself. Sources say that the police have obtained a photo of Bibhas. Officers have been trying to gather information from local residents, but reportedly, no one recognizes him.

Meanwhile, security was tightened outside the residence of BJP leader Dipankar Arora, who is considered a close associate of Suvendu Adhikari. "The incident is highly condemnable and those responsible must face strict action," Arora said.

The assailants fired eight rounds from Glock 47X semi-automatic pistols, with six bullets (three each) within 50secs hitting Rath and his driver, Buddhadeb Bera. At least four persons were involved in the murder and they used two bikes and a car to carry out the attack. Cops have recovered the hatchback and one of the bikes but both number plates were fake and the chassis numbers had been scrubbed out, making it more difficult to trace the owners, officials said.

Doctors extracted all three bullets from Bera’s body but he remained critical. The third person in the car, Mintu, was in the rear seat of the car and escaped by ducking. He was being questioned.

A 50-second recreation of the crime, based on CCTV footage collected from a factory around 100m from the site, shows the silver hatchback entering Sheikh Mujib Road at 10pm on Wednesday. This road leads to Orchard Estate, where Rath has lived since 2023 with his family.