Assam CM warns of harsh measures if Zubeen Garg's Singapore companions skip SIT probe

Guwahati: The return of persons who were with singer Zubeen Garg aboard a yacht in Singapore during his final hours will "depend entirely on them", but harsh measures will be taken if they do not come for the SIT probe within the October 6 deadline, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday.

''Their return will depend completely on them. The Assam government cannot bring them back from Singapore, but we can talk to their parents so that they can ask them to return for the probe'', the CM said on the sidelines of a programme in Kokrajhar.

The deadline of October 6 has been already set for all who were in Singapore during Zubeen's last moments in the sea where he died while swimming, he said.

''If they do not come back by Monday, we will have to take harsh steps. We will have to bring them back through a particular process'', Sarma said.

The CM had earlier said inquiry cannot be completed unless people who were with the singer in the yacht do not record their statement before the investigating agency.

Meanwhile, a complaint has been lodged at Latasil police station by a doctor alleging involvement of 11 members of the Assam Association of Singapore in Garg’s death. The police are examining the complaint.

The SIT, which is probing the death of the singer, has already issued summons to eight of the 11 members of the Assam Association of Singapore to appear before it by October 6.

Summons have been issued to Tanmoy Phukan, Abhimanyu Talukdar, Debojyoti Hazarika, Rupkamal Kalita, Bhaskar Dutta, Siddhartha Bora, Parikshit Sharma and Wajed Ahmed.

The family members of those summoned said they are not aware whether the individuals are coming to be a part of the investigation.

''We have been in touch with them but not regularly and everyone is very sad at Zubeen's death. If they come, we will definitely know. But they haven't told us anything about it'', a family member, who did not want to be named, said.

The CM further said the investigations were ''progressing well'' and the people with ''whom I have spoken to are very satisfied with the way the Assam government has taken the investigations forward''.

''We have arrested those who were associated with the incident and that no VIP treatment is being given to them. All are being interrogated'', he said.

Four persons, including North East India Festival chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, singer's manager Siddhartha Sharma, his musician Shekharjyoti Goswami and singer Amritprava Mahanta, have been arrested and remanded to 14 days police custody.

The singer had gone to Singapore to participate in the NEIF. He died due to drowning while swimming off a Singapore island More than 60 FIRs were filed across the state against Mahanta, Sharma and several others, following which the CM had directed the DGP to transfer all the FIRs to the CID and to register a consolidated case for a thorough investigation.

Regarding the second post-mortem examination of the singer conducted here being made public, Sarma said, ''We will not make it public, but if anyone wants to see it, I will tell CID about it and they can go and see it''.

The first autopsy was conducted In Singapore and the report has been handed over to the Indian High Commissioner there.

Sarma said Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) President Lurinjyoti Gogoi wants to see it and he can seek an appointment with the official concerned to see the report.

The second report was handed over to the singer's wife, Garima Saikia Garg, on Saturday, but she returned it saying that it is not her "personal document" and the investigators will be the best judge to decide whether it should be made public or not.

Sarma further said the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Debabrata Saikia, Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi and Shyamkanu Mahanta have demanded a CBI inquiry into the death of the singer.

''Whether they discussed the matter before demanding it or it is just a coincidence, I don't know but the demand is the same and came at the same time'', Sarma added.