Post by : Rameen Ariff

The Assam Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) and Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have arrested five individuals in connection with the death of popular singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore last month. The arrested include Sandipan Garg, a police officer and cousin of Zubeen Garg, along with Shyamkanu Mahanta, Siddharth Sharma, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, and Amritprava Mahanta.

Sandipan Garg, an Assam Police Service (APS) officer currently serving as Deputy Superintendent of Law and Order in Kamrup district, was present with Zubeen Garg at the scene of the tragic swimming incident on September 19. Following his arrest, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Kamrup (Metropolitan) district remanded him to 14 days of police custody.

The singer, who was 52 years old, passed away while swimming in the sea during a trip to Singapore. The SIT had earlier questioned Sandipan Garg for four days before deciding on his arrest. He is the son of Zubeen Garg’s paternal uncle.

Earlier arrests in the case include Shyamkanu Mahanta, organiser of the North East India Festival (NEIF) in Singapore, which Garg had attended, along with the singer’s manager Siddharth Sharma, bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, and singer Amritprava Mahanta. All four are currently in CID custody.

Following Zubeen Garg’s death at a yacht party organised by Assamese NRIs in Singapore under suspicious circumstances, the CID registered cases of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy, and death due to negligence. Later, a murder charge was added after interrogations of the arrested individuals. A separate case was also registered against Mahanta for alleged financial irregularities following the discovery of seals and documents at his residence in Guwahati.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (IT) department may conduct raids at Mahanta’s office and residence in Guwahati as part of the ongoing investigation.

Special DGP (CID) MP Gupta, heading the 10-member SIT, said, “Today we arrested Sandipan following his interrogation. Since the investigation is ongoing, I cannot reveal further details. He will be produced in court, and we will seek police custody.”

The arrests come as Assam Police continues its detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding Zubeen Garg’s untimely death, which has left the music and film industry as well as fans in shock.

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