Zubeen Garg death case: Who are 5 persons arrested so far?

The investigation into Assamese singer Zubeen Garg’s death is continuing with the police arresting five persons so far, with his cousin, who is a police officer, being taken into custody on Wednesday (October 8).

Zubeen died in Singapore in a swimming incident on September 19. He had gone to Singapore to perform in the North East India Festival on September 20 and 21.

Who are the 5 persons arrested?

DSP Sandipan Garg: Zubeen’s cousin, Sandipan Garg is an Assam Police DSP. He was arrested on Wednesday. He has been sent to seven days of police custody.

Also read: How did Zubeen Garg die? It wasn't a scuba accident; Assam CM reveals new details

“We have arrested Sandipan Garg. Now, we are doing the necessary legal formalities,” CID Special DGP Munna Prasad Gupta told PTI.

Police said that the arrested DSP was interrogated several times in the last few days over the singer’s death.

Sandipan was with Zubeen during the alleged drowning incident in Singapore.

Also read: Zubeen Garg’s second autopsy report handed over to wife Garima

"Our team has taken him to a court here. We will seek police remand," another senior officer said.

Shakharjyoti Goswami and Amritprabha Mahanta: Musician Shakharjyoti Goswami and singer Amritprabha Mahanta were arrested on Thursday (October 2).

Zubeen’s musician Goswami and singer Amritprabha, who were present at the spot when the incident happened, were called for interrogation and later arrested, police said.

"We have found some evidence against them. So, to enquire further, their arrest was necessary," an officer said.

Siddharth Sharma and Shyamkanu Mahanta: Zubeen’s manager Siddharth Sharma and festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta were arrested on October 1.

Mahanta was arrested on his arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi from Singapore while Sharma was arrested from an apartment in Gurugram.

Shyamkanu is the younger brother of former DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, who is presently the Chief Information Commissioner of the Assam State Information Commission. His elder brother is Nani Gopal Mahanta, who was the Education Advisor to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma before becoming the vice chancellor of Gauhati University.

Mahanta and Sarma were arrested and booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy and causing death by negligence, police said.

Special DGP of the Assam Police's CID Munna Prasad Gupta told reporters that the interrogation of Mahanta and Sarma is underway after a court remanded them to 14-day police custody.

"The investigation is going on, and I cannot share much detail. We have added Section 103 of the BNS in the FIR now," he said.

Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) deals with the punishment for murder. It mandates that whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life, and a fine.

The CID is probing the case of Zubeen’s death after more than 60 FIRs have been lodged across the state against Mahanta, the chief organiser of the Northeast India Festival, where the singer had gone to perform, and almost 10 others, including Sharma.