Two individuals face police custody as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the singer’s demise.
More than ten days after the passing of popular Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, the Assam Police have taken action against two individuals connected to the incident. Manager Siddhartha Sharma and Shyamkanu Mahanta, the organizer of the North East India Festival, were arrested on Wednesday, as reported by The Indian Express. Garg died on September 19 during a yacht trip in Singapore, just a day before he was scheduled to perform at the festival organized by Mahanta.
Mahanta was apprehended upon his arrival at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport after returning from Singapore. Meanwhile, Sharma was arrested from an apartment in Gurugram, Haryana. Following their arrests, both individuals have been remanded to 14 days’ police custody by the chief judicial magistrate of Kamrup (Metro).
A death certificate issued by authorities in Singapore indicated that Garg’s cause of death was drowning. He was cremated with state honors near Guwahati on September 23, which included a 21-gun salute. In the aftermath of his death, over 50 first information reports were filed against Mahanta and Sharma. The Assam Police subsequently established a Special Investigation Team to delve deeper into the case.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has initiated proceedings against both men under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which address criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and causing death by negligence. They were given a deadline to appear before the CID by October 6. Lookout notices were issued against them on September 27, indicating the seriousness of the investigation.
Prior to their arrests, both Mahanta and Sharma had expressed concerns for their safety, stating on social media that they were hesitant to return to Assam. Mahanta claimed that he had no prior knowledge of Garg’s yacht trip, asserting that Garg had communicated his desire to visit Singapore to the festival organizing team, which led to arrangements for his stay at a hotel.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has also noted that Mahanta’s bank accounts were frozen, indicating that a separate investigation is ongoing regarding his potential involvement in organized financial crimes. Furthermore, Sarma mentioned that the Centre has reached out to the Singapore government for cooperation in the investigation into Garg’s death, utilizing the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between India and Singapore. This treaty facilitates the sharing of evidence, documents, and investigative support in criminal cases, highlighting the international dimensions of the ongoing inquiry.
