Raj Singh, a Ballia-based man who projected himself online as a “social worker” and Kshatriya leader, has now emerged at the centre of the sensational murder probe into Chandranath Rath, close aide and personal assistant to Suvendu Adhikari.

The arrest has triggered a fresh political storm after visuals surfaced allegedly showing Singh openly campaigning for BJP candidates and posing alongside a minister from the Uttar Pradesh government, fuelling opposition claims that the accused was not an ‘unknown criminal’ with no political links.

Investigators suspect Singh to be among the shooters involved in the ambush-style attack carried out in Madhyamgram, where gunmen allegedly opened fire at Rath’s Scorpio SUV before fleeing within seconds.

According to police sources, Bengal investigators tracking digital footprints and interstate links arrested Singh along with two others after tracing alleged escape routes stretching from Kolkata to Uttar Pradesh.

Singh, a resident of Anand Nagar near the police lines in Ballia, describes himself as a “social worker” on social media.

His Facebook profile identifies him as the “state general secretary” of the All India Kshatriya Mahasabha.

He had also reportedly contested a councillor election from Ballia’s Ward No. 15 and was allegedly known to have political connections locally.

Social media posts linked to ‘Mission 2026’, photographs with political leaders, and clips from campaign events have now come under intense scrutiny as the murder investigation deepens.

Police sources further claimed Singh’s name had surfaced earlier in another firing case involving an egg vendor in Ballia’s Sadar Kotwali area.

However, Singh’s family has rejected the allegations and accused the police of illegal detention.

His mother, Jamwanti Singh, claimed the family had travelled across Uttar Pradesh for a wedding and religious visits around the time of the murder and insisted he was nowhere near Bengal when the shooting took place.

Speaking outside Ballia district court, Singh’s lawyer Harivant Singh alleged proper transit remand procedures were not initially followed and claimed CCTV footage placed his client at home on April 4, 5 and 6.

The Chandranath Rath murder case has already snowballed into a major political flashpoint in Bengal, with rival parties trading charges over political violence and criminal links.