The Assam Police have intensified their investigation into the tragic death of popular singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore by officially filing murder charges against two key individuals: his manager, Siddharth Sharma, and festival organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta. This significant development was confirmed by a senior officer on Thursday, October 2, 2025.
Sharma and Mahanta were apprehended in Delhi on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. Following their arrest, a New Delhi Court remanded them to a 14-day police custody for further interrogation. Munna Prasad Gupta, the Special DGP of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam Police, stated that the probe is actively underway, and due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, specific details could not be shared. However, he confirmed the addition of Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to the existing FIR.
Section 103 of the BNS is a serious charge, outlining the penalties for murder, which include capital punishment or life imprisonment, along with a fine. Initially, the police had booked Mr. Sharma and Mr. Mahanta under various sections of the BNS for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy, and causing death by negligence. The upgrade to a murder charge indicates a more severe turn in the investigation.
It’s noteworthy that Shyamkanu Mahanta is the younger brother of Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, who previously served as DGP and is currently the Chief Information Commissioner of the Assam State Information Commission. His elder brother, Nani Gopal Mahanta, was the education advisor to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma before taking on the role of Vice Chancellor at Gauhati University.
This case has drawn considerable attention, especially given earlier reports indicating that Zubeen Garg’s death in Singapore occurred while he was swimming, not during a scuba diving incident, as initially speculated.