Car used in Suvendu Adhikari PA murder changed hands days before killing

According to officers, the central probe agency suspects that a group of youth from UP may be involved in the crime.

Sources said during preliminary investigation, the agency learnt that the vehicle — a silver hatchback — allegedly used by the assailants in the attack was purchased from a Ballia resident a few days before the murder.

Police said it was also found that this local resident had bought the car just a month ago. The agency is now trying to trace the buyer and establish the chain of possession of the vehicle allegedly used in the crime.

Naveen is the fifth person to be arrested in the case. Earlier, four accused — Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya from Buxar, Bihar; Rajkumar Singh from UP’s Ballia; and Vinay Rai from Varanasi — were arrested in the case. A resident of Thamhanpura village in Ballia district, Naveen works as a contractor; his father is employed in a government job.

Sanjay Kumar Dubey, former village pradhan of Thamhanpura, said they learnt about Naveen’s arrest through the news reports. “We are shocked to hear about Naveen’s alleged involvement in such a high-profile case. Villagers said they recently saw CBI officials visiting his house. Naveen is engaged in the contracting business… Lately, he was seen in the village only occasionally,” said Dubey.

‘Mistaken identity, given clean chit’: Youth picked up from Ballia earlier released, says his family

Lucknow: The family of Raj Singh (25), another youth from Ballia who was arrested from Ballia in the case, claimed the CBI had released him after giving him a clean chit.

“My brother was arrested due to mistaken identity,” claimed Yashwant Singh, Raj’s elder brother. “Two days ago, we submitted proof showing that Raj was in Ballia at the time of the murder. We provided CCTV footage from places he had visited, as well as receipts for clothes he had purchased from a mall in Ballia,” he added.

Raj had been arrested by the West Bengal CID and Madhyamgram police. Following his arrest, his mother, Jamwanti Singh, had maintained that her son was innocent and was falsely implicated. His sister, Deepshika Singh, had said, “My younger brother is a graduate student and was preparing for the past few years to contest for the post of block pramukh.”

Speaking to The Indian Express after his release, Raj Singh said the ordeal had made him realise the importance of CCTV footage. He said the recordings ultimately changed the course of the investigation, as his family had preserved footage from the day of the incident. “The CCTV footage from my house, along with recordings from a mall and even clothing purchase receipts, helped establish my innocence,” said Singh, a graduation student.  “My mother, sister and brother worked hard to prove that I had no role in the case. Had the footage not been available, my chances of getting released would have been far lower.”

Recalling his time in custody, Singh said he was repeatedly questioned by police after being detained. “The officers were speaking in Bengali, which I could not understand, so I kept requesting them to speak in Hindi. A few policemen knew some Hindi and questioned me in the language. I answered whatever I could understand.”

Police should do proper investigation before arresting any person, he added. ENS