Fifth arrest in Zubeen Garg case: DSP Sandipan Garg sent to 7-day police custody

Guwahati, Oct 8: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the circumstances surrounding the death of Assam’s cultural icon, late Zubeen Garg, made a fresh arrest on Wednesday.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sandipan Garg, cousin of the late singer, was produced before the court, which remanded him in police custody for seven days.

“Today, we arrested DSP Sandipan Garg and produced him before the court. We will continue our investigation within the legal framework and follow all due procedures, including coordination with Singaporean authorities,” SIT Chief and Special DGP (CID) Munna Prasad Gupta told the press.

Sandipan, reportedly present in Singapore during the incident, had been questioned multiple times before his arrest.

His detention marks the fifth arrest in the ongoing probe, which has attracted intense public attention.

Earlier, the SIT had taken into custody North East India Festival (NEIF) organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma, and two band members, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amrit Prabha Mahanta. All four remain under police custody.

Gupta added that the SIT will issue summonses to the remaining members of the Singapore-based Assamese group who were reportedly present during the events leading to Garg’s death.

“One person, Rupkamal Kalita, has appeared before the SIT and is undergoing investigation. There’s a special procedure for conducting an investigation in Singapore, and we are following all required legal processes,” he said.

CID sources confirmed that the probe is focused on the sequence of events leading to Zubeen Garg’s drowning in Singapore on September 19, during his visit to attend the 4th NEIF.

The SIT is examining communications, financial records and witness testimonies from both India and abroad.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is expected to conduct raids at the residence of Mahanta over alleged financial irregularities and fund misuse connected to the festival.

Earlier on October 6, Chief Minister Himanta Bisws Sarma, briefing the press after a cabinet meet, had confirmed that central agencies will soon scrutinise the accounts of key persons involved in the probe.

With inputs from PTI