The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Assam Police filed a mammoth 12,000-page chargesheet on Friday, December 12, 2025, at the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Guwahati.
The report details the unnatural death of iconic singer Zubeen Garg, who died in Singapore on September 19, and charges four individuals including the festival organiser, manager, a bandmate and a co-singer, with murder.
Furthermore, the singer’s cousin and a suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sandipan Garg, faces the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated the government will seek a fast-track court, expressing confidence that the meticulously gathered evidence will secure a conviction, despite the Singapore Police Force’s initial findings ruling out foul play.
Zubeen Garg Death Probe
The filing of the chargesheet marks a pivotal moment in the investigation into the death of the 52-year-old cultural icon, which occurred while he was swimming off an island during the North East India Festival in Singapore.
The SIT, led by Special DGP (CID) Munna Prasad Gupta, conducted a complex three-month-long probe, recording statements from over 300 individuals and travelling abroad to collect crucial evidence. The central finding, confirmed by the Chief Minister’s earlier assertions, is the presence of a clear motive and criminal conspiracy, contradicting preliminary reports from the Singapore Police Force.
The sheer volume of the chargesheet, running into more than 12,000 pages of digital and documentary evidence, underscores the scale and depth of the investigation undertaken by the police.
Charges of Murder and Culpable Homicide
The seven arrested individuals linked to the case have been named in the chargesheet with specific roles, highlighting an alleged collaborative effort in the tragedy.
The four individuals charged with murder (under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, BNS) are Shyamkanu Mahanta (NEIF organiser), Siddharth Sharma (manager), Shekhar Jyoti Goswami (bandmate), and Amritprabha Mahanta (co-singer).
These four also face additional charges including criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust, with Mahanta and Amritprava further charged with extortion, cheating, and destruction of evidence. The other three accused includes0 Sandipan Garg with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and the two personal security officers, Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya, with criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This significant development, three months after Zubeen Garg’s death, finally provides a path toward justice, which the people of Assam have fervently demanded.
The government’s determination to treat this as a murder case and the Chief Minister’s strong push for a fast-track court and a special public prosecutor are welcome steps that signal a commitment to accountability.
