SIT to probe Zubeen's death in Singapore

Guwahati: The Assam CID has launched a high-profile investigation into the death of beloved music icon Zubeen Garg, who passed away in Singapore. The case, filed on Saturday, accuses North East India Festival organizer Shaymkanu Mahanta and the singer’s manager Sidhartha Sarma of ‘criminal conspiracy’, ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’, and ‘causing death by negligence’.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to delve into the circumstances surrounding the rockstar’s untimely demise, confirmed CID additional director general MP Gupta. This move follows a directive from CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who instructed DGP Harmeet Singh to consolidate all FIRs filed across the state and ensure a comprehensive investigation. The case has sparked widespread attention, with multiple FIRs filed by Zubeen’s fans alleging foul play and implicating Mahanta and Sarma in the tragedy.


CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said he spoke to the High Commissioner of Singapore, Simon Wong, and requested him for a “detailed enquiry into the circumstances leading to the untimely demise of cultural icon. “The High Commissioner of Singapore has assured me of complete cooperation in this regard,” he added.

The CM, who is in constant touch with the Singapore authorities since Zubeen’s demise on Saturday and looking after every single thing in the matter, added that Zubeen’s mortal remains were handed over to the accompanying team comprising Zubeen’s drummer Shekar Jothi Goswami, his manager Siddhartha Sharma, and his relative Sandeepan Garg in the presence of officers from the Indian Embassy on Sunday after autopsy.

As far as the course of law is concerned in the investigation, Gauhati High Court senior advocate Bijon Mahajan said the case registered by CID into the unfortunate death of Zubeen in Singapore has three sections of law attributed to it. He added Section 105 of the BNS denotes culpable homicide not amounting to murder, which may, at the end of the trial, if found guilty, entail life imprisonment, while section 106 has two parts - 106(2) is not operative and for Section 106(1) the quantum of punishment may go up to five years, and section 61(2) is criminal conspiracy, which is punishable in the present context as the accused has abetted the offences stated above.

“If any culpability as regards the subject matter in the FIR is detected by CID and in that event because of the existence of Section 1(5)(a) of the BNS, 2023 which states that any citizen of India committing an offence beyond India would fall within the ambit of BNS, 2023 and as such in the unfortunate death of Zubeen Garg, which occurred in Singapore would bring any or all Indian citizens involved therein under the scanner of CID, Assam,” the advocate told TOI.

Mahajan further said mention may also be made to one authority of the Gauhati High Court in the “Gautam Sarma Vs Sanyukta Baruah” case in 2009, wherein “it has been held that an Indian committing an offence outside India would be subject to the laws of India.”


Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Solar Eclipse 2025, date and visibility!