As part of the probe to uncover a web of digital coordination, fake identities, and professional precision, officials also recovered the second two-wheeler allegedly used in the crime.

Investigators probing the murder of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to chief minister-elect Suvendu Adhikari , said what initially appeared to be a daring hit has now turned into a textbook case of a high-level contract killing, with the seven-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) pointing towards a “conspiracy hatched several weeks in advance”.

Probe so far has revealed that around seven to eight individuals, suspected to be involved in the operation, used a dedicated WhatsApp group to exchange real-time intelligence and coordinate their movements around Rath’s vehicle, officials said.

This digital footprint, combined with a meticulous pre-murder “recce” of the area near Rail Gate No.…