Zubeen Garg death: Gaurav Gogoi alleges SIT shielding ‘Himanta aides’

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi has claimed that the investigation into the death of singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore is not moving in the right direction.

He also alleged on Sunday (October 19) that the state government's Special Investigation Team (SIT) was trying to save Shyamkanu Mahanta and Siddhartha Sharma, as they had close ties with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the BJP.

Mahanta, the organiser of the event for which the singer went to Singapore, and Sharma, Garg's manager, are now in judicial custody.

Also Read: Zubeen Garg death probe: 3 more Assamese expats arrive from Singapore

'Nothing should be kept hidden'

On Sunday, a memorial was organised for the singer-composer by Opposition parties. Leaders of different parties participated in the memorial, with singers performing evergreen songs of Garg amid placards reading 'Justice for Zubeen' and 'No Justice, No Rest'.

Gogoi told reporters on the sidelines that the probe was not moving in the right direction. "Legal experts — those familiar with criminal law and the court system — are all questioning the investigation. The chief minister is leading the probe, and it seems he is more concerned about saving his image," he alleged.

"As an investigation is going on, it is the government's duty to make all information about Mahanta and Sharma public," he said, adding that nothing should be kept hidden.

"The way Sarma is taking forward the investigation through the SIT, it felt that he formed it to hide his ties with Shyamkanu Mahanta," he added.

Garg died on September 19 while swimming in the sea in Singapore, where he had gone to attend the fourth North East India Festival (NEIF).

Also Read: Singapore police say no foul play suspected in Zubeen Garg’s death

'Accused is close to CM'

A 10-member SIT of the state police's CID is investigating the case. So far, seven people have been arrested in connection with it, including NEIF organiser Mahanta, Garg's manager Sharma, his cousin and police officer Sandipan, band members Sekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta, and his personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya.

The festival organiser, Shyamkanu Mahanta, is the younger brother of former DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, who currently serves as the chief of the Assam State Information Commission. Another brother, Nani Gopal Mahanta, formerly the Education Advisor to the Chief Minister, is now the Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University and is also considered to be closely connected to political circles.

Also Read: Zubeen Garg died due to drowning and not scuba-diving accident: Report

'Assam lost a voice'

Gogoi maintained that in Garg's death, Assam lost a voice that had spoken bravely for its people, its culture, and its nature. "In his absence, we do feel a little lost. Our duty is to take forward his dream, Bhupen Hazarika's dream of a 'Bor Asom' (greater/ united Assam)," he added.