Zubeen Garg Case Is ‘Plain and Simple’ Murder, Says Assam CM
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told the Assembly that preliminary findings confirm singer Zubeen Garg’s death was a “plain and simple murder.”
GUWAHATI- Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday stated in the Winter Session of the Assembly that the death of celebrated singer Zubeen Garg is “a plain and simple murder,” dismissing any possibility of culpable homicide. Responding to an adjournment motion moved by the Opposition, Sarma said the government had never opposed discussions on the case and reiterated that the probe has treated the incident as murder from the earliest stages.
Garg died on September 19, 2025, and an FIR was registered the following day under Sections 61, 105, and 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Sarma told the House that within two days, the state government urged the court to add Section 103 — the main murder charge — arguing that without it, the accused could have secured bail. The court subsequently allowed the addition.
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Sarma named several individuals currently in judicial custody, including Shyamkanu Mahanta, Siddharth Sharma (the singer’s manager), Shekhar Jyoti Goswami (bandmate), and co-singer Amritprava Mahanta. Seven people have been arrested so far, and the Chief Minister said that the SIT has recorded 252 statements. He emphasised that the case registered by the SIT reflects the government’s consistent position: “This is a plain and simple case of murder.”
The Chief Minister also confirmed that the Assam Police had received the post-mortem report from Singapore authorities and sent it for comparative analysis to Guwahati Medical College, which submitted its final assessment on November 5. The involvement of Singapore stems from the fact that Garg was initially treated there before his death.
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Sarma informed the Assembly that the Ministry of Home Affairs had sought assistance from Singapore under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also raised the matter with Singaporean officials, leading to an authorised visit by Assam Police on October 21. Singapore provided the required documents on November 4.
Zubeen Garg, born in Tura and deeply rooted in Assam’s cultural landscape, remained one of the most influential voices of the region. His sudden death sent shockwaves across the Northeast, prompting the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct an in-depth inquiry.
The SIT/CID has arrested seven individuals so far: Mahanta, Sharma, Goswami, Amritprava Mahanta, Garg’s cousin Sandipan Garg, and two personal security officers, Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishy. All have been remanded to judicial custody. Sarma recently stated that the SIT is on track to file the chargesheet by December 8.
