Guwahati– In a significant development in the investigation into the death of renowned Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Assam Police has taken into custody Sandipan Garg, a deputy superintendent of police and the late artist’s cousin.
Sandipan, an Assam Police Service officer, had been appearing daily for questioning at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) office in Assam over the past five days. His arrest occurred shortly after he reported for interrogation on Wednesday morning around 10:30 a.m. He was promptly presented before the Kamrup chief judicial magistrate’s court and remanded to seven days of police custody.
As a DSP, Sandipan was aboard the yacht during the incident on September 19, when Zubeen Garg met his untimely end under unclear circumstances while swimming in Singaporean waters. The trip marked Sandipan’s inaugural journey overseas.
To date, authorities have detained five individuals linked to the case. Among them are Shyamkanu Mahanta, organizer of the 4th North East India Festival; Siddharth Sharma, Garg’s manager; Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, a bandmate; and Amrit Prabha Mahanta, another singer. Garg had journeyed to Singapore specifically for the festival.
In parallel, Rupkamal Kalita, a non-resident Indian and member of the Assam Association in Singapore who was also present on the yacht, underwent a second day of deposition before the CID on Wednesday. He faced extended questioning over both sessions.
Seven additional witnesses of Assamese origin based in Singapore have yet to comply with summons issued by the CID.
ALSO READ : Poisoning Conspiracy Claims Ignite Fury in Zubeen Garg’s Mysterious Demise
Adding to the momentum, singer, composer, and music director Manash Robin voluntarily presented himself at the CID on Wednesday, handing over a key piece of evidence. “I submitted evidence to the CID, hoping that it will aid the ongoing investigation,” Robin informed reporters, refraining from specifics to avoid jeopardizing the inquiry. He emphasized, “We want to know if Zubeen’s death was accidental or if he was murdered as part of a conspiracy. We need the answer. We will fight till the end. We should win,” while calling on the public to steer clear of politicizing the tragedy.
Separately, Assam Police has placed two of Garg’s personal security officers, Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya, on suspension following the discovery of Rs 1.1 crore in suspicious financial transactions in their accounts. The officers, assigned to the singer roughly a decade ago amid threats from the insurgent outfit United Liberation Front of Assam, offered no credible justification for the funds during interrogation.
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