Three Assamese NRIs appear before CID in Zubeen Garg case; 4th expected soon

Guwahati, Oct 13: Three more Assamese expatriates, who were present during the final moments of cultural icon Zubeen Garg's death in Singapore, appeared before the Assam police on Monday in response to the second round of summons.

Jiolangsat Narzary, Parikshit Sharma and Siddhartha Bora reached the CID headquarters in the morning, while another expat Bhaskar Jyoti Dutta is scheduled to arrive later in the day, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Special DGP Munna Prasad Gupta informed.

"We have started our interrogation with the three. We are now waiting for the fourth person," he added.

Within the next two days, a few more Assamese NRIs based in Singapore are expected to arrive and record their statements before the SIT, he added.

Regarding the remaining six people, who have not responded to the notices, Gupta said, "We are hoping that a few more people will appear before us in the next 48 hours."

The police issued fresh summonses to 10 people associated with Assam Association Singapore as they failed to appear before the investigating agency within the deadline of October 6.

Earlier, only one Assamese person from Singapore, Rupkamal Kalita, appeared before the CID and was interrogated for more than 24 hours before he was allowed to leave.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said investigators of Zubeen Garg's death case have found a "definite angle" after they received the viscera report.

After Garg's second post-mortem examination at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), the viscera sample was sent to the Central Forensic Laboratory (CFL) in Delhi for a detailed examination.

“After receiving the CFSL report, we have been able to piece together what happened to Zubeen. I believe that within a few days, the complete report will be submitted to the court,” he had said, in a live session on social media.

The first autopsy was conducted in Singapore immediately after Garg's death. The second post-mortem examination was done at GMCH on September 23 before taking Garg's body for cremation.

Sarma also said that the Singapore Police had sought some "vital information" in connection with the death of the singer in the island nation, and the Assam government forwarded the required inputs to the authorities there.

So far, seven people have been arrested as the investigation into Garg’s death in Singapore deepens. Among those taken into custody are North East India Festival chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma, and two band members, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amrit Prabha Mahanta.

Later, Garg’s cousin and Assam Police DSP Sandipan Garg was also arrested, followed by Garg’s PSOs Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya, after police uncovered financial transactions exceeding Rs 1.1 crore from their accounts.

The Indian government had earlier invoked the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with Singapore, seeking cooperation in the investigation into the death of the artiste in the Southeast Asian country.

PTI