Assam CM Claims Zubeen Garg's Death is Murder, Chargesheet Expected Soon

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has declared that Zubeen Garg's death in Singapore is being treated as murder. The investigation is ongoing, with a chargesheet expected by December 8. Garg, a beloved cultural icon, died under mysterious circumstances while attending the North East India Festival. The Assam Police have arrested several individuals in connection with the case, and the Singapore Police are also conducting their own inquiry. This development has raised significant public interest and concern regarding the circumstances surrounding Garg's untimely demise.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 3, 2025, 22:15 IST

Investigation into Zubeen Garg's Mysterious Death

Tezpur/Guwahati: On Monday, Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the beloved cultural figure Zubeen Garg was murdered in Singapore, revealing plans to file a chargesheet by December 8 as the investigation progresses.

Garg tragically passed away under unclear circumstances while swimming in Singapore on September 19, where he was attending the North East India Festival (NEIF).

Sarma emphasized, "I am not calling it an accident. We aim to submit the chargesheet by December 8. We are prepared now," while refraining from disclosing specific details or evidence supporting the murder claim.

The Assam Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into Garg's death, following over 60 FIRs filed across the state.

Regarding the chargesheet process, Sarma mentioned, "For incidents occurring abroad, we need approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs. I met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah yesterday to expedite this approval."

He indicated that the SIT would likely reach out to the Ministry of Home Affairs within the next few days to request the necessary permissions.

Once approval is secured, the chargesheet will be filed, he confirmed.

When questioned about any financial support from the Assam government for the NEIF, Sarma stated that no funds had been allocated.

Later in the evening, Sarma reiterated in Guwahati that the investigation has treated Garg's untimely death as a murder from the outset.

"This is not a new assertion from me... The Assam Police's stance has been that this was a murder. Currently, individuals are in judicial custody, and everyone involved is being processed in connection with the murder case. This has been our position from day one," he added.

Seven individuals have been arrested and are currently in judicial custody, facing charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy, and causing death by negligence.

Sarma further clarified the timeline for filing the chargesheet, stating, "The police must submit a chargesheet within 90 days of an arrest in murder cases or those involving life imprisonment. Therefore, our deadline is 90 days from the first arrest made."

"To be cautious, we are considering 90 days from the incident date, which means we should submit the chargesheet by December 18 or 19. However, we prefer to be more proactive, so we aim to file it around December 8," he explained.

Among those arrested are NEIF chief organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg's manager Siddharth Sharma, and two band members, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amrit Prabha Mahanta.

Additionally, Garg's cousin and Assam Police DSP Sandipan Garg was apprehended in connection with the case.

Garg's personal security officers, Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya, were also arrested after significant financial transactions exceeding Rs 1.1 crore were discovered in their accounts.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is conducting its own investigation into Garg's alleged drowning.

In a statement released on October 17, the SPF noted that initial investigations did not suggest any foul play in Garg's death.

They also indicated that the inquiry into the singer-songwriter's death could take up to three more months, after which the findings will be submitted to the State Coroner for further action.