The Singapore coroner’s court has ruled out foul play in the death of Assamese music icon Zubeen Garg, describing it as an accidental drowning after he refused to wear a life jacket and entered the water while intoxicated, which likely impaired his judgement. State coroner Adam Nakhoda on March 25 upheld the coast guard’s conclusion of no criminal involvement, saying that the probe was comprehensive and found no evidence that anyone forced, coerced or pushed Garg into the water. No one has been charged in Singapore.
Zubeen drowned on September 19, 2025 while swimming off Lazarus Island during a yacht outing with a group of 20. He was to perform at a festival in Singapore the following day. The singer-musician had been drinking alcohol and he removed his life jacket after an initial swim, then “steadfastly” refused to wear one during a second attempt, Nakhoda said.
Toxicology showed blood alcohol concentration of 333 mg. per 100 ml. — more than four times Singapore’s legal limit of 80 mg. — indicating severe intoxication impairing coordination and reflexes.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Singapore’s verdict “reinforces” the state’s position, and evidence and financial trails lie in India.
The criminal case is going on in India in the Guwahati high court which has ordered a fast-track sessions trial after a police SIT filed a chargesheet in December last year. Seven accused have been named in the chargesheet: Shyamkanu Mahanta, who had organised the festival in which Zubeen was to perform; manager Siddharth Sharma; drummer Shekhar Jyoti Goswami; co-singer Amritprabha Mahanta; Zubeen’s cousin, Sandipon Garg; and PSOs Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya. They are all currently in custody.
Murder charges have been framed against four of the above, viz. Shyamkanu Mahanta, Siddharth Sharma, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, and Amritprabha Mahanta. Sandipon Garg faces a charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder while the two PSOs have been accused of financial irregularities.
State Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi cited the CM’s earlier assertion in the Assembly that Garg’s death was “plain and simple murder” and asked if that position still held. The coroner’s court found that Garg had voluntarily joined the yacht trip, entered the sea of his own accord, and quickly showed signs of exhaustion.
Despite such clear findings, the Assam CM has said that Singapore’s verdict “reinforces the state’s (Assam) position, whatever that may mean. In simple words, while the Assam government is treating the death as murder, the Singapore coroner’s court has described the death as accidental. And still, the CM says, their view matches that of Singapore.
