Five key accused, including the Zubeen Garg’s cousin and manager, are sent to 14-day judicial custody.
In a major development in the ongoing probe into the death of Assamese cultural icon Zubeen Garg, five key individuals—including his cousin and manager—were today sent to 14-day judicial custody by a local court.
The five accused are:
- Sandipan Garg (Zubeen Garg’s cousin and an Assam Police Service officer)
- Siddhartha Sharma (Zubeen Garg’s Manager)
- Shyamkanu Mahanta (Chief Organizer of the North East India Festival in Singapore)
- Nandeswar Bora (Zubeen Garg’s Personal Security Officer)
- Paresh Baishya (Zubeen Garg’s Personal Security Officer)
The accused were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court in Guwahati following the completion of their police custody. Officials confirmed that none of the accused were represented by legal counsel in court, and no bail applications were filed. They are expected to be lodged at Guwahati Central Jail.
Crucial Phase of Investigation
The investigation, led by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Assam CID, is now entering a crucial phase nearly a month after the singer’s untimely death on September 19 in Singapore.
SIT chief and Special DGP (CID) Munna Prasad Gupta confirmed the judicial remand. “We had arrested seven people, and the police custody of five persons has been completed, so we produced them before the court today,” Gupta stated, adding that the custody for the remaining two accused, which include singer Amritprava Mahanta and bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, will end in the coming days.
International Probe and Witness Statements
The SIT chief also highlighted the expanding scope of the investigation, which includes an international leg of the probe.
“We have received a communication requesting the names of officers who will be visiting Singapore for an investigation, which is a standard process. We are waiting for their response,” Gupta confirmed, signaling a potential on-site inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death during a yacht outing in Singapore.
In Guwahati, the SIT is continuing to record witness statements. Gupta confirmed that a total of ten individuals, including Assamese expatriates present in Singapore during the incident, have so far appeared before the CID to provide their statements.
The arrests were made following the SIT’s constitution by the Assam Police due to what officials cited as inconsistencies in the events leading up to Zubeen Garg’s death, which had initially been reported as a drowning incident. The current judicial remand marks a significant step towards unravelling the complete chronology of the tragic incident that has sparked widespread public demand for a transparent investigation.