ZUBEEN GARG’S DEATH: FESTIVAL ORGANIZER MOVES SUPREME COURT FOR TRANSFER OF PROBE FROM ASSAM POLICE TO NIA/CBI:

Shyam Kanu Mahanta, the organiser of the North-East Festival where the late singer Zubeen Garg was scheduled to perform in Singapore, has approached the Supreme Court seeking urgent reliefs against multiple criminal proceedings and media trial. Mahanta has requested the apex court to transfer the ongoing investigation from the Assam Police to an independent central agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and to appoint a retired judge of the Supreme Court to monitor and supervise the probe.

The petition follows the tragic death of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, who reportedly drowned in Singapore on September 19, 2025, while on a leisure trip to an island with team members, relatives, and friends. Garg had travelled to Singapore to participate in the North-East Festival, and the unfortunate incident occurred just days before his scheduled performance. The Singaporean authorities, who conducted a preliminary investigation, have not found any evidence of foul play in the incident.

Despite this, the Assam Police registered cases against Garg’s manager and Mahanta, invoking provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, relating to criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and causing death by negligence. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been constituted to conduct the probe. According to Mahanta, these actions have resulted in his wrongful implication and subjected him to a barrage of public hostility.

The petition, filed on September 30 through Advocate-on-Record Raj Kamal, claims that Mahanta has become the target of a “well-calculated witch hunt.” He has been booked in over 54 First Information Reports across Assam and other North-Eastern states, based largely on media reports that, he alleges, have spread a false narrative of his involvement in Garg’s death. Mahanta contends that he has been vilified not only by sections of the media but also by statements attributed to top officials of the Assam government, which have contributed to public outrage against him.

Mahanta has argued that the allegations are baseless, pointing out that he was not even present at the site of the incident. He stated that he had last met Garg on September 17, 2025, and that on the date of the tragedy he was preoccupied with overseeing festival arrangements. He has emphasized that the narrative implicating him is entirely unfounded and that the hostile environment created by continuous media coverage has endangered both his safety and that of his family.

In his plea, Mahanta has sought multiple reliefs from the Supreme Court. These include the consolidation and transfer of all FIRs and investigations to either the CBI or NIA, with oversight by a retired judge; protection against arrest or coercive action by Assam Police; and security for himself and his family. He has also requested that his bank accounts be unfrozen, his residence de-sealed, and that social media platforms and media outlets be restrained from publishing prejudiced or hateful content regarding his alleged role.

Additionally, Mahanta has asked the Court to direct the State of Assam to submit the post-mortem report, medical documents, and findings from Singaporean authorities in a sealed cover for the Court’s review. He has further requested that the Union Government be directed to call for a status report from Singapore to clarify the circumstances of Garg’s death.

It may be noted that shortly after filing the petition, Mahanta was arrested by the Assam Police on October 1, 2025, and is currently in custody, even as his plea awaits consideration before the Supreme Court.