LUCKNOW The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is preparing to seek custody of alleged D-118 gang leader Gyanendra Singh alias ‘Mannu’ through a production warrant as it expands its investigation into the murder of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari.
A local police official confirmed that Mannu, a resident of Sheetal Davani village in Ballia district, surrendered before a local court on Thursday in connection with a three-year-old Gangsters Act case, triggering a fresh round of action by the CBI. Although the agency attempted to secure his transit remand in the Rath murder case, legal and procedural hurdles prevented his immediate transfer.
The official confirmed that a Gangsters Act court subsequently remanded him to judicial custody in Mau district jail, forcing investigators to explore alternative legal options. Officials and legal experts indicated that the agency is now likely to seek a production warrant, or “B warrant,” to bring Mannu into its custody for questioning in the murder case. The development came as the CBI simultaneously arrested Golu Singh, another suspect from Ballia, on Wednesday and obtained a 48-hour transit remand to take him to West Bengal for interrogation.
Investigators regard Mannu as a crucial figure in the case because of his alleged criminal background and influence across multiple states. According to police records, Gyanendra Singh alias ‘Mannu’ is alleged to head the D-118 gang and is known by several aliases, including Mannu, Abhishek and Manvendra. Authorities claim that nearly a dozen criminal cases have been registered against him in UP, Bihar and Chhattisgarh.
The cases include allegations of murder, criminal conspiracy, attempted murder, assault, fraud, Arms Act violations and offences under the Gangsters Act. Police records indicate that his criminal history stretches back nearly two decades and spans districts including Ballia, Varanasi, Jehanabad and Saran, besides Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh. Investigators believe Mannu’s alleged network and cross-border criminal links could provide critical insights into the conspiracy behind Rath’s murder and the role of individuals operating from eastern UP.
CBI teams have reportedly conducted multiple raids at Mannu’s residence in recent weeks as part of the ongoing investigation. During the searches, investigators allegedly seized the digital video recorder (DVR) linked to the CCTV system installed at his house in an effort to gather electronic evidence and reconstruct movements of suspects connected to the case. The agency is examining communication records, financial transactions and logistical support networks that may have aided the execution of the murder.
With the arrest of Golu Singh and the pursuit of Mannu’s custody, three Ballia-linked accused have now emerged in the investigation. The CBI had earlier arrested Rajkumar Singh alias ‘Raj’ from Muzaffarnagar on May 18. Another accused, Naveen Singh of Phephna, was arrested by the UP STF and later transferred to Kolkata by the CBI through a production warrant obtained from Mau jail.
Investigators suspect that the accused were part of a support network that allegedly arranged logistics, including vehicles and weapons, used in the murder of Chandranath Rath, who was shot dead in the Madhyamgram area of North 24 Parganas district on May 6.
Officials said the investigation has increasingly focused on the possibility that the murder was facilitated by an organised criminal network operating across state boundaries. The agency is examining links between suspects in UP and operatives in West Bengal.
