Singer Amritprava Mahanta and Musician Shekharjyoti Goswami in Custody Over Zubeen Garg's Death
Arrests Made in Zubeen Garg Case
Guwahati, Oct 3: In a significant development, singer Amritprava Mahanta and musician Shekharjyoti Goswami have been placed in police custody for 14 days in connection with the suspicious death of Assam's beloved cultural figure, Zubeen Garg, in Singapore.
Due to security concerns, the court proceedings took place at the Commissionerate of Police office rather than the Kamrup Metropolitan CJM Court, as reported by sources.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) apprehended the two individuals late on October 2 after conducting multiple rounds of questioning.
Officials revealed that both Mahanta and Goswami were present during the incident on September 19 in Singapore, where Garg's death raised several questions. The police indicated that further interrogation was warranted following the discovery of incriminating evidence against them.
With their arrests, the total number of individuals in custody related to this case has now reached four. Earlier, on October 1, the CID detained festival organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta and Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma, who are also under 14-day police custody.
The Assam Police have invoked Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to murder, in the FIR against Sharma and Mahanta. They were already facing charges related to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, conspiracy, and causing death by negligence.
Leading the investigation, Special DGP (CID) Munna Prasad Gupta stated that a team will be dispatched to Singapore to collect further evidence once the necessary approvals are obtained under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT).
Authorities in Singapore are expected to provide the original autopsy report directly to Garg’s family. Meanwhile, a second post-mortem conducted in Guwahati is pending results from the Central Forensic Lab in Delhi.
To date, over 60 FIRs have been lodged across Assam, primarily against Shyamkanu Mahanta and others associated with the Northeast India Festival, where Garg was scheduled to perform. Notices have also been issued to several individuals who were present during the incident, including members of the Assam Association in Singapore.
The investigation is ongoing and is under intense public scrutiny, with widespread calls for stringent action against those responsible for the singer’s tragic death.