Car used in Chandranath Rath’s murder brought from Jharkhand

MP, May 11, 2026, Kolkata : In a major development in the probe into the murder of Chandranath Rath, police have learnt that the car recovered near the crime scene had been brought from Jharkhand. At the Nivedita Setu toll plaza in Bally, Howrah, the toll fee for the vehicle was reportedly paid through UPI. After obtaining this information, police started efforts to trace the details of the UPI transaction and identify its source in order to track down the miscreants. According to sources, investigators have already collected CCTV footage from the toll plaza and are examining it closely. Although several persons have been detained and questioned in connection with the case, no arrests had been made till Sunday evening.

It may be mentioned that Rath was shot dead in Madhyamgram on the night of May 6. During the investigation, police found that the car had blocked Rath’s SUV and at the same time, two motorcycles stopped on either side of the vehicle and the riders opened fire at Rath and his driver. The BJP has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of being behind the incident. TMC, however, issued a statement condemning the murder and demanding a court-monitored CBI investigation.

During the course of the investigation, police suspected that the murder had been planned more than a month in advance. Within a few hours of the incident, police recovered the car and the two motorcycles allegedly used in the crime from three different locations. However, while verifying ownership details of the seized vehicles, investigators found that the registration numbers had been forged and tampered with. Police are also trying to ascertain whether Rath had recently been involved in any dispute or altercation with anyone.