Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday that Zubeen Garg was “murdered” on September 19.
However, the Assamese singer’s cause of death is under investigation in both Singapore and Assam, and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) currently investigating it will present its chargesheet by mid-December.
Garg passed away in Singapore on September 19, where he had travelled as the cultural brand ambassador for the North East India Festival slated for September 20 and 21.
Several reports noted that the singer had joined a yacht outing with members of the Assam Association Singapore before the festival began. He lost consciousness while swimming and was rushed to Singapore General Hospital, where he was declared dead.
Since then, both the Singapore Police and the Assam Police SIT are conducting parallel investigations.
The Singapore authorities have stated last month that, based on preliminary findings, they “do not suspect foul play.” Their final report, prepared under the Coroners Act 2010, could take another two months to complete.
Assam CM pushing ‘the chargesheet in Zubeen Garg’s murder’ before…
However, speaking to reporters, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “I will not refer to Zubeen Garg’s death as a ‘mishap’ today. We need to submit the chargesheet in Zubeen Garg’s murder before December 17. I have given the target that it be submitted by December 8.”
“We are ready from all directions. If something happens abroad, before submitting the chargesheet, we need approval from the Home Ministry. Yesterday, I apprised Home Minister Amit Shah as well, so that the approval may be granted quickly. In the next few days, the SIT will write to the MHA. Once we get the approval, we will file the chargesheet on December 8, 9 or 10,” the Chief Minister said.
The SIT, which is investigating a CID-registered case involving charges of criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and causing death by negligence, has now added murder charges as well.
So far, five people have been arrested: Garg’s manager, the Singapore festival organiser, two bandmates, and his cousin, who had travelled with him. Plus, two of Garg’s personal security officers were arrested separately under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly possessing disproportionate assets.
