Shyamkanu Mahanta seeks CBI investigation amid allegations of misuse of the criminal process in Assam.
Shyamkanu Mahanta, the organiser of the North East India Festival, has approached the Supreme Court with a request to transfer the investigation into the death of singer Zubeen Garg to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA). This legal move follows the filing of over 50 cases against Mahanta related to Garg’s death, which has sparked significant public outrage in Assam. In his petition, Mahanta contends that he has been falsely implicated in the case, claiming that the current criminal proceedings are being misused to turn public sentiment into a witch-hunt against him.
Zubeen Garg, a well-known Assamese musician, passed away on September 19 during a yacht trip in Singapore, a day prior to his scheduled performance at the festival. The event was jointly organised by the Indian government and the Indian High Commission in Singapore, with additional support from the Assam Association and the North East India Association. A death certificate issued by Singaporean authorities indicated that Garg’s death was due to drowning. Following this incident, both Mahanta and Garg’s manager, Siddhartha Sharma, were arrested and are currently facing serious charges, including criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
As the investigation intensified, the Assam Police escalated the charges against Mahanta and Sharma to include murder. Furthermore, two other musicians who were present with Garg at the time of the incident—Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta—were also apprehended. Mahanta’s petition was filed shortly before his own arrest, and his legal counsel has indicated plans to amend the petition to reflect recent developments in the case.
In his court submission, Mahanta clarified that the yacht trip, during which Garg drowned, was unrelated to the festival event. He pointed out that Singaporean authorities had previously ruled out any foul play in Garg’s death. The petition underscores the severity of the situation, highlighting that over 50 FIRs have been lodged against Mahanta in various states, accusing him of serious crimes solely based on his role as the festival organiser.
Additionally, Mahanta claims that he was present at the festival venue, where dignitaries including the Meghalaya Chief Minister and officials from the Indian High Commission were in attendance, when he first learned about Garg’s tragic incident. Following the death, the Assam government established a Special Investigation Team, led by Special Director General of Police MP Gupta, to scrutinise Mahanta’s involvement in Garg’s death. However, Mahanta argues that public remarks by officials, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, have created a prejudicial atmosphere against him, undermining any chance for a fair investigation.
Alongside his legal requests, Mahanta reported receiving death threats and expressed concern that the Criminal Investigation Department has issued a lookout circular against him instead of providing protection. He also addressed the negative portrayal in certain media outlets and social media platforms, which have depicted him as guilty. Mahanta has characterized these accusations as unfounded and is urging the court to consolidate all related cases and transfer them to the CBI or NIA, supervised by a retired judge, while also calling for media restraint in reporting unverified information until the investigation concludes.
