Zubeen Garg death case: All 7 accused appear virtually before court

Guwahati: All seven accused in the singer Zubeen Garg death case appeared virtually before Kamrup (Metro)'s Chief Judicial Magistrate during a hearing on Tuesday, after the charge-sheet was submitted last week.

The court fixed the next date of hearing on December 22.

Garg had gone to attend the North East India Festival (NEIF) in Singapore, where he died under mysterious circumstances while swimming in the sea on September 19. The state government formed an SIT to probe into the case, and it submitted the charge-sheet at the CJM's court on December 12.

NEIF chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer's secretary Siddhartha Sharma, his cousin Sandipan Garg and his two Personal Security Officers (PSOs) Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya appeared virtually from the Baksa Jail, while musician Shekharjyoti Goswami and singer Amritprava Mahanta did the same from Haflong Jail, public prosecutor Prabhat Konwar said.

The CJM had directed all seven accused to be present physically for the first time after the charge-sheet was submitted, but the SIT cited the possibility of law and order problems if they were brought to the court. The judge then directed that they be presented virtually for the hearing from the jails.

The SIT team also handed over the hard copies of the charge-sheet to the jail authorities before the hearing began on Tuesday.

To a question from the court, the accused said they have received copies of the charge-sheet, Konwar said.

The family members of the accused were also handed over a pen drive each, containing copies of the document.

The CJM also inquired about the health condition of the accused, and they said that physically they were well, Konwar said.

He said that the next date of hearing has been fixed for December 22. The rule is that the accused have to be present physically in the court to sign some papers, but now, with a new system in place, the court may consider the signing of the papers in jail by them, the public prosecutor said.

''On the next date of hearing, the CJM may consider 'committing' the case to the Sessions Court, and only after that the full trial will begin'', the PP added.

The SIT had charged Mahanta, Sharma, Goswami and Amrit Praca with murder in the charge sheet filed before the CJM on December 12 Garg's cousin and suspended Assam Police officer Sandipan Garg has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, while the singer's two PSOs have been charged with criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust by misappropriating funds or property entrusted to them.

Advocate Dhrubajyoti Das was appointed by the District Legal Services Authority to represent the accused.

The appointment came after the Bar Association decided that none of its members would take up the defence in the case.