3 min readGuwahatiMay 27, 2026 05:40 AM IST
The special fast-track court in Assam, hearing the case connected to superstar singer Zubeen Garg’s death, on Tuesday framed charges against all seven accused in the case, paving the way for trial to begin. It included charges of murder against four of the accused.
Dismissing petitions for the discharge of the accused under section 250 of the BNSS as “devoid of merit”, the court said there was “strong prima facie material” against the accused on the offences under which they had been chargesheeted.
Garg died on September 19, 2025, while in Singapore as a cultural brand ambassador for the Northeast India Festival, Singapore. Before the festival began, he went for a yacht outing, reportedly organised by members of the Assam Association Singapore. He died after losing consciousness while he was swimming during that outing, and a subsequent investigation found that he was in a state of intoxication at the time. He was declared dead when he was taken to Singapore General Hospital.
In its chargesheet, a special investigating team (SIT) of the Assam Police probing the case charged Northeast India Festival Singapore organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma, and co-musicians Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta with murder. Garg’s cousin and Assam Police Service officer Sandipan Garg was charged with culpable homicide, while his two Personal Security Officers, Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya, were charged with criminal conspiracy and breach of trust.
Apart from murder, manager Siddharth Sharma also faces charges of “common knowledge or intention or cooperation”, criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust for alleged irregularities in dealing with Garg’s finances. Similarly, festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, who has been charged with murder, has also been charged with “common knowledge”, criminal conspiracy, extortion, cheating and destruction of evidence. Musicians Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta face charges of murder, common knowledge, and criminal conspiracy.
Citing prosecution material, including statements by doctors who reportedly submitted that Garg had suffered from epilepsy and that he had been advised to avoid alcohol, water and fire; material in the case diary; statements from witnesses; and digital evidence, the court stated in its order, “… the act of A1 (Siddhartha Sharma), A2 (Shyamkanu Mahanta), A3 (Shekhar Jyoti Goswami), A4 (Amritprava Mahanta) they having clear knowledge and information about the health issue and restriction imposed to Late Zubeen Garg, allowed him to drink excessive alcohol, knowing that same would be fatal, gave alcohol, fed alcohol, allowed deceased to consume alcohol, not stopped/cancelled yacht tour knowing deceased’s weakness for water and swimming…”
The order further said, “…A1, A3, went with full preparation for water activity from Guwahati, [and] A1, A2, A3, A4 did not disclose the health issue of deceased to yacht tour organiser although each of them have knowledge of yacht tour as per the statement of LWs (listed witnesses) and then not restrained deceased from swimming in the sea water… and knowing that swimming in the sea water under influence of alcohol is fatal… allowed him to swim…”
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In March this year, the coroner’s inquiry in Singapore into Garg’s death ruled it a case of accidental drowning.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
