Guwahati: The Assam Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will issue fresh summons to 10 individuals associated with the Assam Association Singapore after they failed to appear before investigators within the stipulated time, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
CID Special DGP Munna Prasad Gupta stated that notices had been served to 11 NRIs from Assam, but only one individual, Rupkamal Kalita, has so far recorded his statement. “We are going to issue fresh summonses to all of them who have not come yet. We will move ahead as per the legal processes,” Gupta said.
Kalita appeared at the CID office on Wednesday for the second consecutive day of questioning, following more than 24 hours of interrogation on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, DSP Sandipan Garg, cousin of the late cultural icon, was arrested on October 8 and sent to seven days’ police remand. He was reportedly present on the yacht in Singapore at the time of the incident. Sandipan is the fifth person to be arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the circumstances surrounding Zubeen Garg’s death.
Earlier, Zubeen’s wife, Garima Saikia Garg, expressed frustration over what she described as a “lack of cooperation” from individuals associated with the Assam Association Singapore, questioning why those present during the tragedy had not come forward to assist the investigation.
The state CID had earlier issued notices to several members of the association, requiring them to appear before it by October 6. Following this, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urged the people of Assam to appeal to the families of those individuals to ensure their wards cooperate with the investigating team.
The fresh summons follow the failure of most to appear within the stipulated deadline. Zubeen Garg, one of Assam’s most celebrated musicians and cultural icons, died in Singapore on September 19 in what was initially described as a swimming accident. However, the case has since taken several new turns amid ongoing investigations into possible foul play.