Assam Police Arrest Zubeen Garg’s Cousin, Officer in Connection With Singer’s Death in Singapore

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Assam Police CID on Wednesday arrested Sandipan Garg, a cousin of late singer Zubeen Garg, in connection with the 52-year-old artist’s death in Singapore last month. Sandipan, an Assam Police Service officer currently posted as Deputy Superintendent (Law and Order) in Kamrup district, has been sent to 14 days of police custody by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (Metropolitan).

Sandipan had accompanied Zubeen Garg to Singapore and was present at the site where the singer-composer-poet-filmmaker died while swimming on September 19. This marks the fifth arrest in the ongoing investigation. The CID had interrogated Sandipan for four days before proceeding with the arrest.

“Since the investigation is ongoing, I cannot reveal more. He will be produced in court and we will seek police custody,” said MP Gupta, Special DGP (CID) Assam Police and head of the 10-member SIT.

Earlier arrests in the case include:

• Shyamkanu Mahanta, organiser of the North East India Festival in Singapore

• Siddharth Sharma, Zubeen’s manager

• Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, bandmate

• Amritprava Mahanta, singer

The CID initially registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy, and death due to negligence, later adding a murder charge following further interrogations. A separate case was also filed against Mahanta for alleged financial irregularities after recovery of seals and documents from his Guwahati residence.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that central agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (IT) Department, may conduct raids at Mahanta’s office and residence in Guwahati.