Guwahati, Oct 8 (PTI) Sandipan Garg, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Assam and cousin of acclaimed singer Zubeen Garg, was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the singer’s death in Singapore. Following his arrest, an official order stated that he has been suspended with immediate effect. Sandipan Garg, an officer of the Assam Police Service, had accompanied Zubeen during his trip to Singapore and was reportedly aboard the yacht during the singer’s final moments. Zubeen Garg tragically passed away while swimming in the sea on September 19.
The Assam Police officer was responsible for overseeing the co-district Superintendent of Police for the Boko-Chaygaon area in Kamrup district. The Chief Judicial Magistrate of Kamrup Metropolitan district has remanded him to seven days of police custody for further investigation. The suspension order specifies that if Garg is released from judicial custody, his temporary assignment will be at Assam Police Headquarters in Guwahati, subject to review.
Sandipan Garg has been charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy, and causing death by negligence. His arrest marks the fifth individual apprehended in this ongoing case, according to senior police officials.
A special investigation team under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam Police is diligently examining the circumstances surrounding Zubeen Garg’s death. Additionally, the police are set to issue new summonses to ten members of the Assam Association Singapore, who did not comply with the earlier request to appear before investigators by the designated deadline of October 6.
Two personal security officers (PSOs) assigned to Zubeen Garg have also been suspended due to significant financial irregularities discovered in their accounts, which amount to over Rs 1.1 crore. CID Special DGP Munna Prasad Gupta acknowledged the arrest of Sandipan Garg and confirmed they are finalizing necessary legal formalities for the ongoing investigation.
Sandipan Garg, who had been extensively interrogated in the preceding days, was allegedly present on the yacht when Zubeen died. Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that a chargesheet related to the case will be filed within three months. He assured that justice would be served, stating that the inquiry is proceeding as expected.
In a related development, the Chief Minister’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, initiated a criminal defamation case against Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi. This action was based on allegations that one of her firms participated in the North East India Festival in Singapore, which she claims are false.
Earlier arrests in this case involved the chief organizer of the North East India Festival, Shyamkanu Mahanta, Zubeen’s manager Siddharth Sharma, and two band members, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amrit Prabha Mahanta. They are currently in police custody.
Regarding the individuals who were present with Zubeen on the yacht, Gupta revealed that notices had been sent to eleven non-resident Indians (NRIs) from Assam, instructing them to appear by October 6, though only one complied. The police plan to issue fresh summons to those who have yet to respond.
Further, Gupta highlighted that some connections with the NRIs have been established, noting the complexities of dealing with individuals abroad. He encouraged them to step forward and provide their account of the events.
Zubeen’s personal security officers, Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya, have been under scrutiny as they were assigned to the singer after he received a death threat from the banned militant group ULFA nearly a decade ago. Both officers have been suspended pending departmental proceedings due to financial discrepancies found in their bank accounts.
Authorities are also reviewing whether Sandipan Garg sought the necessary permission from the government before traveling to Singapore, as public servants are prohibited from going abroad without authorization. On Wednesday, several individuals were summoned to the CID headquarters to offer statements regarding Zubeen’s death and associated financial irregularities linked to his manager and the festival’s organizer. Popular singer Manas Robin, a longtime friend of Zubeen’s, reported that he provided significant evidence of such irregularities to investigators.
Original Source: https://news.abplive.com/cities/zubeen-garg-cousin-assam-police-dsp-sandipan-garg-suspended-after-arrest-in-death-case-1804912
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Publish Date: 2025-10-08 23:31:00
