Bandmate alleges Zubeen Garg was poisoned, recalls manager shouting ‘Let him go’ as singer struggled

Guwahati: In a dramatic twist to the ongoing investigation into the death of iconic singer and cultural figure Zubeen Garg, his longtime bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami has alleged that Garg was poisoned by his manager Siddharth Sharma and festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, and that the duo conspired to cover up the death as accidental.

According to media reports, the allegations detailed in the witness testimony recorded under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), form part of the formal grounds for arrest submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Assam Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Sharma has since been arrested and faces a slew of serious non-bailable charges, including murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and criminal conspiracy. Mahanta has also been named in the investigation.

Goswami, who was present with Garg during his final hours in Singapore in May, told investigators that Sharma’s behaviour in the lead-up to the singer’s death was “deeply suspicious.” Both Sharma and Garg were staying at the Pan Pacific Hotel, and according to Goswami, Sharma appeared agitated and secretive throughout the trip.

During a private yacht outing, Sharma allegedly seized control of the vessel from its sailor, causing it to become dangerously unstable at sea. Goswami further claimed that Sharma forbade Assam Association (Singapore) member Tanmoy Phukan from arranging drinks, saying he alone would supply them.

Crucially, during the moments when Garg was seen gasping for air in the water, Sharma was heard shouting, “Jabo de, jabo de” (“Let him go, let him go”), according to Goswami’s testimony. Goswami emphasised that Garg was a highly trained swimmer who had even coached both him and Sharma in the past, casting doubt on drowning as the sole cause of death.

He further alleged that the two accused had poisoned Garg and deliberately chosen Singapore as the location to carry out and conceal the act. Goswami said Sharma also instructed him not to share any footage from the yacht that day.

While both Sharma and Mahanta have denied the accusations during interrogation, police sources say there is prima facie material evidence pointing to Sharma’s culpability, including financial records, witness statements, and documentary evidence.

Goswami also described Sharma’s alleged indifference in the critical moments following Garg’s collapse, claiming that when the singer began frothing at the mouth and nose, Sharma dismissed it as “acid reflux” and discouraged calls for medical assistance. This inaction, Goswami claimed, hastened Garg’s death.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (I-T) Department are reportedly preparing to join the probe, focusing on alleged organised financial crimes and the acquisition of benami properties linked to Mahanta. Assam CID sources say they have also uncovered financial irregularities dating back more than two decades to Mahanta’s time at a non-banking financial company (NBFC).

The investigation remains ongoing under the supervision of Assam Police’s SIT, with multiple agencies expected to coordinate in uncovering the full scope of what now appears to be a complex and possibly premeditated conspiracy behind the sudden and shocking death of one of Assam’s most beloved artists.
(With agency inputs)