Zubeen Garg death case: Singapore-based NRIs not willing to come, says Assam CM

Guwahati: At least nine Assamese NRIs based in Singapore, who were with  Zubeen Garg on September 19, have been summoned by the SIT for investigation into the circumstances leading to the iconic singer's death. 

But so far only one has agreed to appear before the SIT and most of them were showing different reasons for not being able to visit Assam and join the investigation, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters in Guwahati on Monday.

"One of them, Rup Kamal Kalita, will arrive in Guwahati tomorrow to appear before the SIT. I hope that all others will also come. Some are not willing to come here and join the investigation. Some are saying Singapore police is not allowing them to come, some says they will loose their jobs there if they comes. But we have kept up pressure on them. We need to get their statements to finish the investigation fast,” Sarma said.

The SIT had send notices to the Singapore based NRIs through the diplomatic channels asking them to appear on or before October 6. 

Zubeen was in Singapore to perform in the Northeast India Festival, organised by Assam-based entrepreneur Shyamkanu Mahanta. But Garg died while swimming in the sea with friends and associates following a party on a yacht.

Mahanta, who was arrested on October 1 in New Delhi, earlier said the yacht was hired by members of Assam Association, Singapore. On September 22, in a statement, Mahanta said Tanmoy Phukan, a member of the association and a friend of Zubeen, had taken the singer out to the sea despite his objections. Phukan, according to sources in police, has also been summoned by the SIT. 

Although, the SIT was initially looking into the circumstances in which Zubeen died, the case took an interesting turn when Sekhar Jyoti Goswami, an arrested band member, during questioning alleged that the singer was poisoned by is manager Siddharth Sarma. Both Sarma and Mahanta are in the remand of the SIT. 

Zubeen's wife Garima also demanded that all those who were with him during the incident must be questioned to dig out the reason behind his death. She questioned why Zubeen was taken to the sea despite doctor's advice against the same. 

Sarma said the government is hopeful Singapore government would share evidences related to Zubeen's case as per the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), which India has with Singapore. "We hope we will reach a conclusion in the case soon," the CM said.