Zubeen Garg death probe: Two more arrested, including bandmate and co-singer

Guwahati: Musician Shakharjyoti Goswami and singer Amritprabha Mahanta were arrested in connection with the death of singer Zubeen Garg, police said on Thursday.

Mahanta and Sharma were arrested on Wednesday and booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy and causing death by negligence, they said.

Munna Prasad Gupta, the Special DGP of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam Police, told reporters that interrogation of the two arrested persons is underway after a court remanded them to a 14-day police custody.

Both Goswami and Mahanta were present with Garg during a yacht party at the North East India Festival on 19 September in Singapore. During the gathering, the 52-year-old singer went for a swim and was later found floating face-down in the water.

Sources in the SIT revealed that video footage showed Goswami swimming in close proximity to Garg, while Mahanta was recording the incident on her mobile phone. The two were questioned extensively over the past six days before their arrests.

Earlier, on Wednesday, police arrested Siddharth Sharma, Garg’s manager, and Shyamkanu Mahanta, the organiser of the North East India Festival. According to SIT sources, investigators believe it is necessary to interrogate the newly arrested duo in conjunction with Sharma and Mahanta.

The case has taken a serious turn, with Sharma and Shyamkanu Mahanta now facing multiple grave charges, including murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy, and causing death by negligence.

“The investigation is going on and I cannot share details at this time but we have added charges under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita,”

said Munna Gupta, Special Director General of Police for Assam's CID and head of the SIT.

Zubeen Garg’s wife, Garima Garg, expressed her confidence in the justice system, urging the public to allow the investigation to run its course.

“The investigation is ongoing and they are handling it in their own way. Therefore, we should not comment on it right now. I do not have much knowledge about it, so the law will take its own course. I have full faith that we will receive justice through our legal system, and the investigation will be conducted properly. We will soon learn what really happened that day, and we want to know who is guilty of what. If anyone is responsible, they will be punished very soon,” she told ANI.

The investigation may soon extend beyond India, as the SIT is awaiting clearance to travel to Singapore to collect further evidence.

“Our team is ready to go to Singapore. There are some formalities to be done. We have sent the request through the proper channels, and it will take some time,” said Gupta.