Gwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that singer Zubeen Garg’s death was not a criminal conspiracy or accident, but “plain and simple murder.”
During discussion under an adjournment motion moved by the opposition on Garg’s death on the opening day of the Assam Legislative Assembly’s winter session, he emphasised that the preliminary probe had ruled out culpable homicide, prompting the addition of Section 103 (murder) to the FIR just three days after his death.
“…We are not here to do politics in Zubeen Garg’s name. If you want justice for our beloved Zubeen, please do not try to demoralise the SIT. The day the chargesheet comes, if any advocate says it’s weak, that is a different issue. But today, when nobody has seen the chargesheet, you are attacking me. It is on record that it is murder. I cannot change it to something else. It is a murder! I am saying this in the Assembly today and we will pursue the murder case. And who has murdered – this too we have noted: one person has committed the act and others assisted. We have booked four to five people under the murder case.
After the chargesheet in the murder case is submitted in December, the probe will be expanded to include negligence, criminal breach of trust and other aspects,” he said.
He further stated that the SIT under the CID of the state police has so far arrested seven people, examined 252 witnesses and seized 29 items in connection with the case.
Those arrested include North East India Festival (NEIF) chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Zubeen’s manager Siddhartha Sharma, his two band members — Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amrit Prabha Mahanta –, his cousin, Sandipan Garg, who is a senior Assam police officer, and his personal security officers (PSOs) Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya. Police had found huge financial transactions, worth over Rs 1.1 crore, from the account of the PSOs. All seven arrested people are currently in judicial custody.
The 52-year-old singer-composer died under mysterious circumstances while swimming in the sea off a Singapore island during a yacht trip on September 19. He was in Singapore to participate in the NEIF.
Initial reports from Singaporean authorities cited drowning as the cause, based on a death certificate and autopsy. Garg’s body was repatriated to Assam, where a second post-mortem by Gauhati Medical College and Hospital ruled out poisoning but confirmed drowning.
Public outrage erupted over alleged foul play and negligence, leading to over 60 FIRs across the state. As protests turned violent, the Assam government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Special DGP M P Gupta, registering a case under Sections 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 105 (culpable homicide), and 106(1) (death by rash/negligent act) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
A one-man Judicial Commission headed by Gauhati High Court’s sitting judge Justice Soumitra Saikia was also established on October 4, to examine pre and post-death events for negligence or conspiracy.