A leaked arrest memo of the Special Investigation Team has turned the Zubeen Garg death case into one of Assam’s most sensational murder investigations with allegations of poisoning and conspiracy claims now driving the probe.
The arrest memo for the singer’s manager, issued by the SIT of the Assam police, cites poisoning claims. A judicial inquiry commission has also been set up by the governor of Assam to probe the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death by drowning in Singapore on September 19. The commission has been given six months to submit its report. Besides, Zubeen’s wife, Garima Saikia Garg, returned his autopsy report to investigators, saying that it was not her personal document and asking them to handle it at their discretion.
The arrest memo mentions the grounds for manager Siddharth Sharma’s arrest. It cites a statement by co-accused and band member Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, alleging that Sharma and North East India Festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta poisoned Zubeen during a yacht outing on September 19, a day before the singer was to perform at the festival. Garg died while swimming in the sea soon after the yacht expedition. Singapore authorities listed the cause of death in the death certificate as drowning.
According to the memo, Shekhar alleged that Siddharth and Shyamkanu “had poisoned the victim and deliberately chosen a foreign venue to conceal their conspiracy”. Siddharth Sharma allegedly instructed Shekhar “not to share the yacht videos with anyone”. Siddharth Sharma had been absconding since Zubeen’s death. He was detained in Gurgaon, brought to Assam, and arrested at the Guwahati airport on October 1. Shekhar Jyoti Goswami was later taken into custody. Both are now in police custody along with Shyamkanu Mahanta and co-singer Amritprabha Mahanta.
In his statement recorded by the CID, Shekhar said that Siddharth Sharma forcibly took control of the yacht from its sailor, causing it to wobble dangerously mid-sea. He claimed that Siddharth stopped another organiser, Tanmoy Phukan, from arranging drinks for the singer, saying that he alone would serve them. Shekhar also alleged that during the critical moments when Zubeen was struggling in the water while swimming alone, Sharma was heard shouting “Jabo de, jabo de” (let him go, let him go). According to Shekhar, Zubeen was an expert swimmer who had trained him and Siddharth, and he could not have drowned under normal circumstances. Shekhar also alleged that when the singer started frothing at the mouth and nose, Siddharth dismissed it as acid reflux and delayed medical help, allegedly leading to the icon’s death.