Guwahati: Five individuals arrested in connection with the death of noted Assamese singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore last month have been remanded to judicial custody after their police remand ended on Wednesday (October 15, 2025).
Those sent to custody include North East India Festival (NEIF) chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Zubeen’s manager Siddhartha Sharma, his cousin and Assam Police DSP Sandipan Garg, and his personal security officers (PSOs) Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya.
The order was passed by the Kamrup Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), who also expressed concern for the safety of the accused, directing that they be lodged in a facility with minimal inmate population.
Court orders transfer to Baksa Jail
“Accordingly, the authorities decided to shift all five accused to Baksa Jail at Mussalpur, which was inaugurated just two months ago and currently has no other prisoners,” said a senior police official.
Mahanta and Sharma were among the first to be arrested — on October 1, 2025, in Delhi — under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy, and causing death by negligence. Later, charges of murder were also added.
Both were in police custody for 14 days, which concluded on October 14, 2025, before being moved to judicial custody.
Police officer cousin and PSOs also arrested
Zubeen’s cousin, DSP Sandipan Garg, who serves as the in-charge of Boko–Chaygaon subdivision in Kamrup district, was arrested on October 8, 2025, and remanded to seven days’ police custody.
He was suspended from service on the same day. Officials confirmed that Sandipan had accompanied Zubeen to Singapore and was present on the yacht when the singer reportedly drowned on September 19.
Two of Zubeen’s personal security officers — Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya — were arrested on October 10 and placed in five-day police custody, later extended based on the investigation’s progress.
Additional arrests and CID investigation
In a related development, Zubeen’s band members, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta, were arrested earlier on October 3 and remanded to 14-day custody.
Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has also initiated a separate probe against Shyamkanu Mahanta for alleged involvement in organised financial crimes and money laundering, including the acquisition of significant benami properties.
A senior CID officer said, “We have traced multiple properties and financial transactions linked to Mahanta that suggest large-scale laundering. The financial probe will proceed parallel to the primary investigation into Zubeen Garg’s death.”
SIT constituted to investigate Zubeen Garg’s death
The Assam Government had earlier formed a 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the singer’s mysterious death in Singapore. Initial reports indicated that Zubeen drowned at sea during a private yacht outing.
Over 60 FIRs have been filed across the state against Mahanta, Sharma, and others by fans and civil society groups demanding justice. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma later directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to consolidate all FIRs under a single CID-led case.
Family demands transparency
Zubeen Garg’s wife Gargee Gogoi and his sister have both sought clarity regarding the circumstances of his death and demanded a transparent investigation monitored by the state government.
“We only want the truth. We want to know what exactly happened that night in Singapore,” his wife told reporters in Guwahati last week.
The government has assured that the SIT’s findings will be made public once the investigation is complete. Officials have not ruled out seeking assistance from Singaporean authorities for forensic and witness collaboration.
A case that has shaken Assam’s music and cultural circles
Zubeen Garg, a revered figure in Assam’s cultural landscape, was not only a playback singer but also an actor, composer, and filmmaker. His sudden death abroad has triggered statewide protests and vigils, with fans demanding swift justice.
The case continues to unfold as investigators reconstruct events leading up to the tragedy and examine alleged negligence, conspiracy, and possible foul play.