Zubeen Garg was poisoned in Singapore, alleges arrested bandmate

Guwahati | In a startling claim, Zubeen Garg's bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami has alleged that the singer was poisoned in Singapore, which led to his death, according to official documents with the police.

Goswami alleged that Garg was poisoned by his manager Siddharth Sharma and festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta in Singapore, according to the 'Detailed Grounds of Arrest' or remand note accessed by PTI.

The festival organiser, Garg's manager and two band members – Goswami and Amritprabha Mahanta – have been arrested in the case and sent to 14 days of police remand.

Garg died under mysterious circumstances in Singapore while swimming in the sea. He had gone to the Southeast Asian nation to attend the 4th edition of the NorthEast India Festival, organised by Shyamkanu Mahanta and his company.

"During the critical moments when Shri Zubeen Garg was gasping for breath, almost drowning, Siddharth Sharma was heard shouting 'Jabo de, jabo de' (let him go, let him go). The witness emphasised that Zubeen Garg was an expert swimmer... and therefore, could not have died due to drowning.

"He (Goswami) alleged that Shri Sharma and Shri Shyamkanu Mahanta had poisoned the victim and deliberately chosen a foreign venue to conceal their conspiracy. Shri Sharma also instructed him not to share the yacht videos with anyone," stated the note, signed by SIT member and senior SP Rosie Kalita.

A nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the CID is currently probing the death of Garg in Singapore. The Assam government has also set up a one-man judicial commission to investigate the case.

Sources in the CID have confirmed the veracity of the remand note.

Shyamkanu Mahanta is the younger brother of former DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, who is presently the chief information commissioner of the Assam State Information Commission. Another brother of the festival organiser is Nani Gopal Mahanta, who was the education advisor to the CM before becoming the vice chancellor of Gauhati University.

"The statement of witness Shri Shekhar Jyoti Goswami... revealed that prior to the death of Zubeen Garg, a conspiracy was formulated to portray his death as accidental. He stated that Shri Siddharth Sharma, who stayed with him... in Singapore, had displayed suspicious conduct," the note said.

Quoting Goswami, the document also stated that Sharma forcibly took control of the yacht from its sailor, causing it to wobble dangerously in mid-sea, thereby endangering all passengers.

When Garg was frothing by the mouth and nose, Sharma dismissed it as acid reflux and assured others that there was nothing to worry about "instead of providing necessary medical facilities", the remand note said.

"Material evidence collected during investigation, including documentary records, financial transactions, and witness statements, prima facie establishes his (Sharma's) culpability," the 'Detailed Grounds of Arrest' stated.