Gauhati High Court judge Justice Parthivjyoti Saikia on Wednesday recused himself from hearing the bail petition of Shyamkanu Mahanta in the Zubeen Garg death case, Special Public Prosecutor Z. Kamar told reporters. The petition was moved to the high court after a fast-track court denied Mahanta bail on April 30.
Kamar said the judge “has recused himself and directed the registry to list it before an appropriate bench,” but gave no reason for the recusal. He added that judges may step aside for various reasons, such as personal familiarity with a party, and advised waiting until the matter is allocated to another bench.
Mahanta, organiser of the fourth North East India Festival in Singapore, is one of seven accused in the case and has been in custody since September last year. Singer Zubeen Garg died on September 19 while swimming in Singapore; he had travelled there on September 17 and was scheduled to perform on September 20.
The fast-track court, presided over by Judge Sharmila Bhuyan, rejected Mahanta’s bail application on April 30, citing a perceived risk that he might flee. The court noted that Mahanta did not contact Assam police immediately after Garg’s death, left Singapore for Malaysia with his wife, and returned to India only after a notice was issued and Interpol was alerted-factors the judge said suggested he had fled the country and could do so again if released. Mahanta had first applied for bail before the fast-track court on April 10.
With Justice Saikia’s recusal, the high court registry will re-list the bail petition before an appropriate bench; the date for further hearing has not yet been announced.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/zubeen-case-hc-judge-recuses-from-hearing-shyamkanus-bail-plea/articleshow/131075987.cms
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Publish Date: 2026-05-14 00:31:00
