Court frames murder charges against 4 in Zubeen death case

Guwahati: The fast-track court set up in connection with singer Zubeen Garg’s death in Singapore in Sept 2025 framed charges against all seven accused on Tuesday, including murder charges against four.The trial is scheduled to begin on June 8. The Assam court’s decision comes two months after the Singapore Coroner’s court, on March 26, ruled out foul play, stating that Zubeen died of drowning while swimming in the sea.The court ordered production of the accused and prosecution evidence through video conferencing on the first day of trial. All seven accused, currently in judicial custody, will remain so until further orders.Judge Sharmila Bhuyan, based on the investigation by the SIT, framed murder charges against Shyamkanu Mahanta, organiser of the North East India Festival in Singapore where Zubeen was to perform, Siddharth Sharma (manager), Shekharjyoti Goswami (bandmate), and Amritprabha Mahanta (co-singer).Charges of criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust were also framed against these four, along with Zubeen’s two personal security officers, Nandeswar Borah and Paresh Baishya, while culpable homicide not amounting to murder was framed against Zubeen’s cousin Sandipon Garg.In the order, the court stated: “The charges framed against the accused persons were read over and explained to them in open court in the presence of prosecution counsel and defence counsel through audio-video mode, to which the accused pleaded not guilty and claimed to be tried.”The accused appeared before the court via video conferencing from jails. The judge further stated that the trial of all accused be held together, as the offences arise from one set of causes and against the same person, to ensure a speedy trial.The judge stated that the criminal conspiracy started in Guwahati, citing eyewitness statements indicating that alcohol was supplied to the deceased by Shyamkanu Mahanta; that Siddharth and Shyamkanu took Zubeen abroad without a medical fitness certificate; and that they failed to disclose his medical condition. The deceased was allowed to swim under the influence of alcohol, with a blood alcohol level of 333 mg per 100 ml, which experts confirmed as the cause of drowning.The court said there is strong prima facie material appearing against the accused.Zubeen Garg went to Singapore on Sept 17, 2025, to perform at the fourth edition of the North East India Festival. He died while swimming in the sea on Sept 19.An SIT comprising nine officers was formed on Sept 24, 2025, which submitted its chargesheet before the Kamrup (Metro) chief judicial magistrate (CJM) on Dec 12, 2025. However, the CJM court committed the case to the district and sessions judges’ court, Kamrup (Metro) on Dec 16, 2025.