Assam Artistes file complaint with CID, demand probe Into Zubeen Garg's death

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: In a major twist following the tragic death of Assam’s music icon Zubeen Garg, several leading artistes and close friends of the late singer have lodged a formal FIR against Shyamkanu Mahanta, Siddhartha Sarma, Sekhar Jyoti Goswami, Tanmoy Phukan and others, alleging negligence, abetment, and misconduct that they claim led to Garg’s untimely demise.

The FIR, filed at the CID Police Station in Guwahati, has been signed by a host of prominent figures from Assam’s cultural fraternity, including Ravi Sarma, Jatin Bora, Siddhartha Sharma, Dikshu Sarma, Dr. Hitesh Baruah, Sasanka Samir, Jayanta Kakati, Achurjya Borpatra, Rajesh Bhuyan, senior journalist Atanu Bhuyan, actress Barsha Rani Bishaya, Prastuti Parashar, Jublee Baruah, among several others.

According to the complaint, despite being fully aware of Garg’s long battle with epilepsy and history of seizures, the accused allegedly took him on a yacht ride during his Singapore trip. It claims they encouraged him to engage in water activities and dive into the sea without a safety jacket, even as he was in an inebriated condition. The complainants argue that this reckless behaviour endangered Garg’s life, leading to his death.

The FIR also levels serious allegations of financial irregularities. It accuses Shyamkanu Mahanta, with alleged backing from certain government officials, of minting money in the name of promoting Assamese culture. It further claims that Siddharth Sharma, Zubeen’s manager, misappropriated the artiste’s funds and diverted them into his personal business ventures.

The complaint seeks charges under multiple sections, including those related to murder, abetment of murder, criminal negligence, and misuse of trust for personal gain. Since the incident occurred abroad, the FIR invokes Section 188 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and Section 208 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS), enabling Indian courts to exercise jurisdiction over offences committed outside the country by Indian citizens.

Also Read: SIT Conducts Second-Day Investigation at Shyamkanu Mahanta’s Residence in Zubeen Garg Death Case

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