Varanasi: A District and Sessions Court in Ballia on Tuesday extended the judicial custody to 14 days of Navin Singh, who was arrested on May 19 with five firearms allegedly used in the killing of Chandranath Rathi, personal assistant to West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari.On May 20, Fefna police produced Navin before the CJM court, which rejected his bail plea and sent him to a 14-day judicial custody. He subsequently moved the District and Sessions Court for bail.District Govt Counsel (Criminal) Sanjeev Singh said Navin’s bail plea was not pressed by his lawyers. He added that the CBI team, which was expected to take him into custody, did not appear during the past 14 days.After arresting Rajkumar Singh and Vinay Rai alias Pumpum in connection with the May 6 murder, the CBI sought assistance from the Varanasi unit of the STF, which arrested Navin from the Bisuneepur area on May 20.During the operation, STF recovered a 9mm pistol, two .32-bore pistols, two revolvers, 45 live cartridges, nine empty shells and a mobile phone from his warehouse. After registering a case under the Arms Act, the STF handed over Navin and the recovered weapons to Fefna police.During initial questioning, Navin told investigators that on May 7, Gyanendra Pratap Singh alias Mannu of Sheetal Dawani, who is still absconding, arrived at his house in a car along with associates Rajkumar and Golu Singh. He allegedly handed over a bag containing the firearms and asked Navin to keep it safely.Navin said that after seeing reports of Rajkumar’s arrest, he panicked and concealed the bag in his warehouse along NH-31.The CBI was expected to take Navin into custody on a warrant following the May 22 proceedings. However, the agency did not arrive.
