Assam Police book Zubeen Garg's manager and festival organiser for murder

Assam-based Garg, who was in Singapore for the 60th year of India Singapore Diplomatic Relations and to celebrate India ASEAN Year of Tourism, North East India Festival, died on September 19

The Assam Police invoked murder charge against Zubeen Garg's manager Siddharth Sharma and festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta in connection with the death of the singer in Singapore last month, a senior officer said on Thursday.

The two were arrested in Delhi on Wednesday and brought to Guwahati.

Munna Prasad Gupta, the Special DGP of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam Police, told reporters that interrogation of the two arrested persons is underway after a court here remanded them to a 14-day police custody.

"The investigation is going on, and I cannot share much detail. We have added Section 103 of the BNS in the FIR now," he said.

Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) deals with the punishment for murder.

It mandates that whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life, and a fine.

The police on Wednesday said Sharma and Mahanta were booked under various sections of the BNS for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy and causing death by negligence.

Mahanta is the younger brother of former DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, who is presently the chief information commissioner of the Assam State Information Commission.

His another elder brother is Nani Gopal Mahanta, who was the education advisor to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma before he became the vice chancellor of Gauhati University.

The CID is currently probing the case of Garg's death after more than 60 FIRs have been lodged across the state against Mahanta, and around 10 others, including the singer's manager.

Mahanta was the chief organiser of the Northeast India Festival in Singapore, where the singer had gone to perform.

Gupta also said that the report of the autopsy conducted in Singapore will be handed over to the family of Garg after completing the formalities.

"The Singaporean authorities also did their investigation. The autopsy report from them will be directly shared with the family as per protocol. As per our information, they have already contacted Garg's family and will share the report soon," he said.

When asked about the second post-mortem examination carried out in Guwahati, the special DGP said the authority is waiting for the report on the viscera sample, which was sent to the Central Forensic Laboratory (CFL) in Delhi for a detailed examination.

"Once the viscera report is received, I guess the post-mortem report by the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital will be ready and available to us," Gupta said.

Garg died under mysterious circumstances in Singapore on September 19 while swimming in the sea. He had gone to the Southeast Asian country to attend the 4th edition of the NorthEast India Festival, organised by Mahanta and his company.

The Assam Police formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the untimely death of Garg in Singapore.

Gupta, who is heading the SIT, said a team will leave for Singapore to collect evidence and other details related to the case once it gets approval from that country.

"Our team is ready to go to Singapore. There are some formalities to be done. We have sent the request through the proper channel, and it will take some time. Once they inform us, our team will go," he said.

The central government has invoked the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with Singapore, seeking cooperation in the investigation into the death of the singer in the Southeast Asian country.

Gupta said the CID has already issued notices to all people, who were present or aware of the events leading to singer Zubeen Garg's death in Singapore, asking them to appear before its officers.

"We have served notices to the members of the Assam Association Singapore. As it is a foreign nation, we cannot directly go and nab them. The notices were served through the Indian High Commission and the Singaporean authority," the special DGP said.

Gupta, the CID's in-charge, also said they have quizzed Sandipan Garg, a deputy SP and cousin of the singer, who was present with him during the incident, in relation to the untimely death of the cultural icon in Assam.

"We have interrogated musician Shekharjyoti and singer Amritprava, who were with Garg at the time of his death. Beyond this, I cannot share any further detail," he added.

The Assam Police earlier initiated a separate probe against event manager Shyamkanu Mahanta for allegedly organising financial crimes and acquiring benami properties by money laundering.

The CID seized incriminating documents and items from his home during the raid on September 25 and 26, such as multiple PAN cards in the name of the same firm, nearly 30 stamp seals of different companies and government officials, and documents related to several benami properties.