Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reiterated that the death of iconic singer Zubeen Garg was a case of murder.
He had earlier made similar claims on November 2 and 3, but this time Sarma made the statement inside the Assam Assembly during a debate under an adjournment motion moved by another member of the house on Garg’s death.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was probing Gargo’s death, has now added a charge of murder to the case.
“After preliminary investigation, the Assam police were sure that it was not a culpable homicide but a plain and simple murder. Therefore, section 103 of the BNS was added to the case within three days of his death,” the chief minister also said, according to PTI.
“One of the accused killed Garg and others helped him. Four to five people are booked in the murder case,” claimed Sarma.
“Shyamkanu Mahanta, Siddharth Sharma, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta who are currently in jail only for a case of murder. This case has been registered under sections 61, 105, 106 and 103 of the BNS. This is a plain and simple case of murder,” the SIT also said, according to ANI.
Seven persons have been arrested in connection with the case and 252 witnesses have been examined and 29 items seized in connection with the case, according to a PTI report.
“After the chargesheet in the murder case is filed in December, the investigation will be expanded to include negligence, criminal breach of trust and other aspects,” PTI also quoted the CM as saying.
Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, said the investigation team would file an “impenetrable charge sheet and the motive behind the crime will shock the people of the state”.
The singer died in Singapore on September 19 while swimming. It was previously reported that the indictment would be filed on December 8.
MHA in touch with Singapore
Sarma said the MHA had requested the Singapore government to help the Assam government through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) in the Zubeen Garg case.
“The MHA requested the Singapore government to help the Assam government through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and despite this, Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to the Singaporean authority. The Singaporean authorities allowed the Assamese police to visit Singapore and we met the Singaporean authorities on October 21. The Singaporean authority sent our required documents to the Assam government on November 4.
Who are the people arrested in the case?
Shyamkanu Mahanta, Siddharth Sharma (Zubeen’s manager), Shekhar Jyoti Goswami (co-singer), Amritprava Mahanta (co-singer), Sandipan Garg (Zubeen’s cousin) and his two PSOs, Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishy.
