Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has stated that the death of cultural icon and celebrated singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore was not an accident but a case of murder. Garg passed away under unclear circumstances while swimming in the sea on September 19 during his visit to attend the fourth edition of the North East India Festival. Speaking to reporters in Tezpur, Sarma mentioned that he has set a deadline of December 8 to file the charge sheet in the case even though the official submission date is December 17. He refrained from revealing further details about the evidence or findings that led to his conclusion that the incident was a murder.
Investigation Led by Assam Police and CID
A Special Investigation Team formed under the Criminal Investigation Department of the Assam Police is handling the probe after more than sixty First Information Reports were lodged across the state. Sarma explained that when a crime occurs outside the country, formal approval is required from the Ministry of Home Affairs before filing a charge sheet. He met Union Home Minister Amit Shah to expedite the necessary permission and confirmed that the SIT will send a request to the ministry within a few days to obtain clearance for completing the process.
Multiple Arrests in Connection with the Case
Several individuals linked to the North East India Festival and Garg’s professional circle have been detained as part of the investigation. Among those arrested are the event’s chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer’s manager Siddharth Sharma, and two of his band members Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amrit Prabha Mahanta. Garg’s cousin, who also serves as a Deputy Superintendent of Police in Assam, Sandipan Garg, was taken into custody for his suspected involvement. Additionally, two of Garg’s personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya were arrested after investigators discovered financial transactions exceeding one crore rupees in their bank accounts. All seven accused are currently in judicial custody under charges that include murder, culpable homicide, criminal conspiracy, and causing death by negligence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Singapore Authorities Conduct Parallel Inquiry
The Singapore Police Force is running a separate investigation into the singer’s alleged drowning. In an official statement released on October 17, Singaporean authorities indicated that their preliminary findings did not reveal any evidence of foul play. However, they mentioned that the inquiry could take up to three additional months to complete and that the final report would be submitted to the state coroner for further legal proceedings.
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