New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation will take over the investigation into the murder of Suvendu Adhikari’s associate Chandranath Rath.After Bengal Police recommended a CBI probe in the case, the central agency formed a seven-member team under the leadership of DIG Pankaj Singh.“The investigation into the murder of West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari, PA Chandranath Rath, has been transferred to the CBI. The CBI has constituted a seven-member SIT headed by a DIG rank officer,” the central probe agency said.A few days after the assembly elections, Adhikari’s personal assistant Chandranath Rath was murdered in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.Rath was shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants who chased his vehicle, forced him to stop and opened fire in full public view at around 10.30 pm before fleeing.According to eyewitnesses, Rath’s car was first stopped by a four-wheeler at Dohariya Junction near Dolatala, after which a motorcycle rider came near the vehicle and started firing.Earlier on Monday, a special investigation team camping in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar had arrested three people in connection with the incident. One of the accused has been identified as the alleged sharpshooter.The three accused were brought to Kolkata late on Sunday night and presented in the Barasat court. The court sent him to police custody till May 24.A CID press release said, “So far, three suspects have been arrested in the case of the gruesome murder of Chandranath Rath in Madhyamgram on May 6. Based on specific leads, two people – Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya – were detained from Buxar in Bihar. The third accused, Raj Singh, was detained from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. After interrogation, all three were arrested by the Madhyamgram police station this morning.”Sources claimed that Raj Singh has been identified as the possible sharpshooter, although police said further investigation is needed to establish this.In the Barasat court, special public prosecutor Biwas Chatterjee informed the court that the accused had entered the city through Bally Nivedita Setu and paid the toll using UPI. The payment was made using the SIM card of one of the accused, although the SIM card was being used in the phone of another person.“However, we found a registered mobile number linked to UPI payments and used the lead to nab the accused,” Chatterjee said.