Guwahati: Exactly six months after Zubeen Garg died while swimming in Singapore, the Gauhati High Court set up an exclusive fast-track sessions court to conduct day-to-day trial proceedings in the singer’s ‘murder’ case.
The Gauhati High Court on Thursday constituted an exclusive fast-track sessions court to conduct day-to-day trial proceedings in the Zubeen Garg death case, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Following a request from the Assam government, the high court appointed Baksa district judge Sharmila Bhuyan to preside over the dedicated court.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our collective pursuit of justice in the Zubeen Garg murder case,” Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote in a post on X.
“The Hon’ble Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court has been pleased to nominate Smt. Sharmila Bhuyan, present
ly serving as District Judge, Baksa, to preside over an exclusive fast-track sessions court for conducting day-to-day trial proceedings in this matter,” Biswa Sarma added.
He further said that Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar had approved the nomination of Bhuyan to lead the fast-track court, which will conduct daily hearings to expedite the trial.
The 52-year-old singer was in Singapore as a cultural brand ambassador for the North East India Festival last September when the tragedy took place.
After an conducting an inquiry, Singapore authorities denied any foul play in Zubeen’s death. However, Biswa Sarma said that the singer’s death was not accidental, but a case of “plain and simple” murder.
Not convinced by Singapore’s probe report, the Assam government formed a special investigative team (SIT) to probe the singer’s death.
A case was registered under multiple charges, including criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, causing death by negligence. Murder charges were added later.
A chargesheet was filed before a local court, in which seven persons were named as accused.
Last month, the Assam cabinet sought the establishment of a fast-track court to accelerate proceedings and ensure timely justice.