Overview

• A joint STF–SIT operation led to the arrest of Umesh Rai, identified as the bike-borne shooter, and the detention of suspected conspirator Ashok Sahu in Patna.
• Vikas alias Raja, accused of supplying the weapon used in the attack, was killed in a pre-dawn gunfight with police in the Malsalami area on July 8.
• Police say Ashok Sahu paid a ₹50,000 advance on a ₹4 lakh contract that financed the assassination, pointing to a business rivalry motive.
• Investigators have recovered the murder weapon, vehicle and related forensic evidence while interrogating over a dozen suspects.
• The case has intensified scrutiny of Bihar’s law-and-order record ahead of state elections and prompted questions about the April 2024 withdrawal of Khemka’s bodyguard protection.