'Foul play' in Zubeen Garg's death? Assam CM orders SIT probe; Congress calls for CBI inquiry

NEW DELHI: The ruling BJP and opposition Congress on Wednesday called for an investigation into the untimely death of state icon and singer Zubeen Garg, who died in Singapore last week.

Chief minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that a special team of the state’s "best police officers" will probe the case and vowed not to "spare" anyone found involved.

"I have instructed the DGP to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) with the best officers of Assam Police. The viscera samples will be sent to the Central Forensic Laboratory (CFL), Delhi, for detailed examination. The SIT will have full freedom to investigate the case with complete professional integrity," he wrote on X.


Congress leader and leader of opposition Debabrata Saikia wrote to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).


Garg, 52, died on September 19; he was in Singapore for the Northeast India Festival. After his demise, the festival organisers issued a statement, saying that the singer suffered breathing difficulties during scuba diving.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Sarma said the Singapore High Commission had sent Garg’s death certificate, which listed drowning as the cause of death.

"But this is not a post-mortem report. The post-mortem report is different, and the death certificate is different. We will send the documents to CID. The Chief Secretary of the Assam Government is contacting the Singapore Ambassador to get the post-mortem report as soon as possible," he added.


Investigation into the case against four persons — accused in over 55 FIRs filed across Assam in connection with the singer’s death — began on Tuesday, following the completion of his cremation and a four-day mourning period. The FIRs were lodged at various police stations against North East India Festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Zubeen’s manager Sidharth Sharma, drummer Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, and businessman Sanjive Naraine. The complaints allege their involvement in a possible conspiracy in Garg's death.

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