Garima Saikia Garg, the wife of beloved singer-composer Zubeen Garg, has officially returned the second autopsy report concerning her husband’s death to the Special Investigation Team (SIT). This team is actively probing the circumstances surrounding his passing in Singapore on September 19.
An officer from the SIT, primarily composed of officials from Assam police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), delivered the post-mortem report to Ms. Garg at her Guwahati residence on Saturday, October 4, 2025. She had previously received the initial autopsy report for the 52-year-old Assamese cultural icon on October 2.
While preliminary investigations by the Singapore police indicated Garg died from drowning during a swim off an island, many in Assam remain unconvinced by this explanation.
“I chose to return the post-mortem report to the investigation officer because it is an integral part of this ongoing probe. The relevant authorities or the court will ultimately decide whether this report should be made public. I have full faith in our legal system to deliver justice for him,” Ms. Garg conveyed to journalists.
Moramee Das, an Additional Superintendent of Police with the CID and a member of the SIT, confirmed that statements were recorded from both Ms. Garg and the singer-composer’s younger sister, Palmi Borthakur. She added that the details of their statements could not be disclosed at this stage of the investigation.
On October 2, the Singapore Police Force released a statement confirming that a copy of Garg’s autopsy report and their preliminary findings had been provided to the High Commission of India upon request. The statement reiterated that police investigations into the matter are ongoing and advised the public not to share any videos or images related to Garg’s death, out of respect for the deceased.
Despite the Singaporean report ruling out foul play, public skepticism in Assam persisted. Responding to widespread pressure, the State government mandated a second post-mortem examination just hours before Garg was cremated with full State honors and a 21-gun salute on the outskirts of Guwahati on September 23.
Arrests Made in Connection with Garg’s Death
To date, four individuals have been apprehended in connection with Garg’s untimely death. These include Shyamkanu Mahanta, the organizer of the North East India Festival in Singapore where Garg was slated to perform, along with Siddharth Sharma (Garg’s manager), Shekhar Jyoti Goswami (his drummer), and Amritprabha Mahanta (his co-singer). Shyamkanu Mahanta and Siddharth Sharma were arrested on October 1 in the National Capital Region, while Goswami and Amritprabha Mahanta were taken into custody in Guwahati on October 2, following six days of intense interrogation.
All four suspects have been remanded to 14-day CID custody as investigators delve into inconsistencies found in their respective statements.
Further developments occurred on October 3 when the Governor of Assam established a one-man judicial commission. Headed by retired Gauhati High Court judge Soumitra Saikia, this commission has been tasked with thoroughly investigating all circumstances surrounding Zubeen Garg’s death.
Adding another layer to the complex case, media reports suggest that Mr. Goswami, one of the arrested individuals, has alleged that the late singer-composer might have been poisoned, with his killers attempting to mask the incident as an accidental death in a foreign country.