Zubeen Garg Case: Accused Appear in Court Virtually
Seven accused appeared virtually before the CJM court in Guwahati as copies of the SIT chargesheet were furnished; the case is set to move to sessions trial.
GUWAHATI- The seven accused in the death case of Assamese singer-composer Zubeen Garg appeared virtually before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court of Kamrup Metropolitan on Monday, marking the first formal court hearing since the Special Investigation Team (SIT) submitted its chargesheet earlier this month.
The accused — festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta; Garg’s manager Siddhartha Sharma; bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami; co-singer Amritprava Mahanta; Garg’s cousin and suspended Assam Police officer Sandipan Garg; and personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya — were produced through video conferencing from Baksa district jail and Haflong sub-jail. The court allowed virtual production citing potential law-and-order concerns.
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During the brief proceedings, copies of the chargesheet — reported to run into thousands of pages including supporting documents — were formally supplied to the accused. The court also verified their health status and procedural compliance. The accused were represented by a legal aid counsel, as several private lawyers have reportedly refrained from appearing in the case amid heightened public sentiment.
The CJM fixed December 22, 2025, as the next date of hearing, when the case is expected to be committed to a sessions court for trial.
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Zubeen Garg, a prominent cultural figure known for his contributions to Assamese, Bengali and Hindi cinema music, died on September 19, 2025, while swimming during a yacht outing near Singapore. He was in the city-state to participate in the North East India Festival. Initial findings by Singapore authorities suggested accidental drowning, but widespread public protests in Assam led to a parallel investigation by the Assam Police SIT.
In its chargesheet, the SIT has invoked murder charges under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against four accused — Mahanta, Sharma, Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta. Sandipan Garg has been charged under Section 105 for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, while the two personal security officers face charges related to criminal conspiracy and breach of trust.
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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has repeatedly described the incident as a case of murder and has assured that justice will be delivered. The SIT investigation involved examination of over 300 witnesses, forensic analysis and an official visit to Singapore.
Singapore Police continue their independent probe, maintaining that preliminary findings indicate no criminal offence. The case remains highly emotive in Assam, where Garg is widely regarded as a cultural icon, with continued public calls for transparency and accountability as the judicial process advances.
