---
title: "CBI Charges 11 in Murder Plot Targeting Aide to West Bengal Chief Minister"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/cbi-chargesheet-11-accused-chandranath-rath-murder-3wrg9
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: India
published: 2026-08-07T06:29:22.000Z
modified: 2026-08-07T09:01:13.398Z
language: en-IN
---

# CBI Charges 11 in Murder Plot Targeting Aide to West Bengal Chief Minister

Federal investigators have formally charged 11 individuals in the targeted assassination of Chandranath Rath, a personal assistant to the Chief Minister. The charge sheet details a cross-state conspiracy involving hired gunmen and local intermediaries.

## Key takeaways

- CBI filed a chargesheet on August 6 against 11 people for the murder of Chandranath Rath.
- The plot allegedly involved hired assassins from Uttar Pradesh and was planned since December 2025.
- Two brothers, including a former associate of the victim, are identified as key conspirators.
- Investigators are examining call logs between the accused and a rival political party office.
- Rath was shot at point-blank range in Madhyamgram just two days after the state election results.

## The Investigation Details

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted a charge sheet on August 6, 2026, naming 11 individuals for their alleged roles in the killing of Chandranath Rath. Rath served as the personal assistant to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Among the primary accused are two brothers from north Kolkata, Sagar and Sahib Sonkar, who were apprehended on August 1. Investigators claim Sagar Sonkar, a former associate of Rath, acted as a lead conspirator by coordinating with the executioners.

## Key Facts

- Date of Crime: May 6, 2026, two days after the BJP secured an electoral victory in West Bengal.
- Method of Attack: Gunmen on motorcycles fired at Rath at point-blank range while he was inside a moving vehicle in Madhyamgram.
- Planning: CBI officials believe the assassination plot was initiated in December 2025.
- Arrests: The agency has detained contract killers Monu Singh, Raj Singh, Golu Singh, Mayank Raj Mishra, Vickey Maurya, and Naveen Kumar Singh, alongside middlemen Vinay Rai, Sanjay Rai, and Vikas Mishra.
- Political Ties: Call records indicate communication between suspects and a local rival political party office; one accused remains at large.

## Why It Matters

The case has ignited intense political friction following the historic election results in the state. While the CBI took over the probe on May 12, the Uttar Pradesh Congress has alleged that at least one suspect maintains ties to the BJP. Evidence suggests Sagar Sonkar shifted his political affiliation from a rival party to the BJP prior to the murder. The use of hired assassins from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar underscores the sophisticated, inter-state nature of the conspiracy aimed at a high-ranking official's staff.

Source: The Hindu — National

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Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/cbi-chargesheet-11-accused-chandranath-rath-murder-3wrg9
Reported from: The Hindu — National