Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced that the state cabinet has decided to request the Gauhati High Court to establish a fast-track court to oversee the Zubeen Garg death case, ensuring day-to-day hearings. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case is expected to submit its charge sheet by late November or early December, with a special public prosecutor to be appointed to facilitate a swift and transparent trial.
The SIT, which was formed following the singer’s passing in Singapore on September 19, has already arrested seven individuals, including Zubeen Garg’s cousin and a senior Assam Police officer. To aid the investigation, the Assam government has been in contact with the Singapore government and sought permission for state police officials to visit the country. Chief Minister Sarma confirmed that a team of senior police officials, led by ADGP Munna Gupta, will travel to Singapore on October 20 and meet with Singaporean police authorities on October 21.
In a significant development, four lawyers have been appointed to the judicial commission monitoring the police probe. Headed by Gauhati High Court judge Justice Soumitra Saikia, this commission, which also includes additional public prosecutor Samudragupta Dutta and advocates Pallav Kakati, Arnav Biswas, and Bhaskar Sharma, marks the first time in Assam that such a high-level judicial commission has been formed to ensure the thoroughness of an SIT investigation.
The report also touches upon the Baksa violence incident, where two individuals were arrested following disturbances during the transfer of accused individuals in the Zubeen Garg case. Nine individuals have been identified through video footage in connection with the incident, which resulted in injuries to police personnel. The Chief Minister clarified that while the initial gathering was peaceful, social media posts later instigated the violence. Investigations are underway regarding the police’s actions during the event.
Additionally, a committee is being formed to oversee the construction of the Zubeen Garg Memorial. The committee will include Zubeen’s wife, Garima Garg, and other prominent figures, who will be responsible for finalizing the design and supervising the construction of the memorial site.
The article also mentions that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to meet Zubeen Garg’s family in Guwahati. Chief Minister Sarma commented on the timing of this visit, noting that it comes several weeks after the singer’s death.