The CBI on Saturday arrested Jabir Ansari, an alleged sharpshooter who reportedly fired at Purulia Congress councillor Tapan Kandu on March 13, from Jharkhand.

The number of persons booked in connection with the murder of the Congress councillor, who was a Jhalda resident, rose to six with Ansari’s arrest from Narayanpur near the industrial town of Bokaro, Jharkhand, on Saturday. CBI sources said another accused, Jayant Singh, also of Jharkhand, was with Ansari at the time of the murder. Jayant is absconding.

Ansari was produced before the district court on Sunday which remanded him to 10 days in CBI custody.

Kandu was shot dead while he was taking an evening stroll with his wife Purnima and three others on the evening of March 13.

Earlier, the special investigating team of Purulia police had arrested Kandu's cousin brother Naren Kandu, Naren’s son Deepak, poultry shop owner Md Ashik and a contract killer from Jharkhand, Kalebar Singh.

Deepak had unsuccessfully contested on a Trinamul ticket against his uncle Tapan Kandu, from ward 6 of Jhalda municipality in the February civic elections.

The councillor’s wife Purnima lodged an FIR against six persons including Naren, Deepak and a few local Trinamul leaders and alleged a “large-scale political conspiracy” behind her husband’s murder, which she alleged was part of a plan to take control of Jhalda municipality by the ruling party. She moved high court demanding a CBI probe.

The CBI began its probe following the high court order and arrested Naren's business partner Satyaban Pramanik in June. A CBI team raided several locations in Bokaro over the past month and finally nabbed Ansari.

Both the SIT of Purulia police and the CBI, however, had concluded that the councillor’s murder was the fallout of a feud between cousins that triggered “more enmity” after Deepak’s poll defeat to his uncle and ruled out any political angle.

CBI sources said Naren decided to eliminate his cousin Tapan Kandu.

“He hired contract killer Kalebar Singh and shooter Jabir Ansari by paying Rs 7 lakh. His business partner Satyaban and poultry shop owner Ashik helped him arrange the killer and hatched the murder plan. Jayant Singh accompanying Kalebar and Ansari during the time of murder is still absconding.” said a CBI source.

Purnima and local Congress leaders, however, seem to be hoping for more. “We are happy (with Saturday's development) but are waiting to see the arrests of the kingpins behind the murder,” she said.

Congress president in Purulia, Nepal Mahato, said he was happy with the arrest and the progress of the CBI probe. “Soon, some big names from the ruling party will be arrested,” he said.