GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Monday that the death of popular singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore in September was not an accident but a murder. He revealed that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case will submit its charge sheet by December 8, ahead of the initially planned December 18 deadline. Sarma expressed the government’s readiness to proceed with the case, noting that permission from the Union Home Ministry is required for ongoing processes due to the death occurring abroad. The SIT will submit a request to the MHA shortly.
Currently, two parallel investigations are underway: one by the Assam SIT and another in Singapore, both aiming to uncover the circumstances surrounding the 52-year-old artist’s demise on September 19, following his participation in a cultural event. The SIT’s charges encompass murder, criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and death by negligence. A separate judicial inquiry is also being conducted by a one-man commission headed by Gauhati High Court judge Soumitra Saikia.
So far, seven people have been arrested by the SIT. These include Garg’s manager, his cousin who is a police officer, the organizer of the Singapore event, two members of Garg’s band, and two state police security officers assigned to him. The SIT has also recorded statements from approximately 100 individuals who were close to Garg or had professional dealings with him. All seven arrested individuals are currently in judicial custody. The judicial commission commenced its hearings on Monday, with depositions scheduled to continue until November 21. The commission is expected to submit its final report within six months.