Murder Charges Formally Framed in Zubeen Garg Case; Fast-Track Trial to Begin

GuwahatiL In a major development in the high-profile death case of music icon Zubeen Garg, the Special Fast Track Court in Guwahati on Tuesday formally framed charges against all the accused persons under various applicable provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to culpable homicide amounting to murder.

The order was pronounced by the exclusive Fast Track Court presided over by Judge Sharmila Bhuyan, who was earlier appointed by the Gauhati High Court to conduct day-to-day proceedings in the case.

According to legal sources, the court rejected the discharge pleas filed by the accused and held that sufficient grounds existed to proceed with trial under serious criminal charges. The court’s order paves the way for the commencement of full-fledged trial proceedings in one of Assam’s most emotionally charged and politically sensitive criminal cases in recent years.

The case stems from the death of Zubeen Garg in Singapore on September 19, 2025, during the North East India Festival. While Singapore authorities had initially termed the incident an accidental drowning, the Assam government ordered a parallel probe following widespread public outrage and demands for a deeper investigation.

Subsequently, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Assam CID conducted an extensive probe and filed a nearly 3,500-page chargesheet naming seven accused.

Among them, festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, singer-manager Siddharth Sharma, Amritprava Mahanta and musician Shekhar Jyoti Goswami were charged under murder-related provisions, while others faced charges ranging from culpable homicide to criminal conspiracy and breach of trust.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier publicly stated in the Assam Assembly that the singer’s death was “plain and simple murder,” intensifying public attention on the investigation. The state government later requested the Gauhati High Court to establish an exclusive fast-track court to ensure speedy justice.

The Gauhati High Court subsequently appointed Judge Sharmila Bhuyan to head the dedicated court, with instructions for day-to-day hearing of the matter.

The framing of charges marks a critical judicial milestone because the court has now officially concluded that prima facie evidence exists for trial under the stringent sections invoked by the prosecution. Legal experts say the prosecution will now begin examining witnesses and presenting documentary and forensic evidence collected by the SIT.

The case, however, continues to attract international attention due to conflicting findings emerging from Singapore. In March this year, a Singapore coroner ruled that Zubeen Garg’s death was an accidental drowning and found no evidence of foul play. Despite this, Assam CID maintained that its investigation uncovered circumstances warranting prosecution under murder-related charges.

The courtroom proceedings are expected to witness intense legal arguments in the coming months, particularly over forensic evidence, witness testimonies, and the contradiction between the Singapore inquiry and Assam CID’s findings.

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