Zubeen Garg case: Shyamkanu's account unfrozen; Siddhartha's flat remains sealed

Guwahati, March 2: The Court of the District and Sessions Judge in Guwahati on Monday passed a series of important orders in the high-profile proceedings related to the death of Assam’s cultural icon, Zubeen Garg.

The court allowed a petition to de-freeze the bank account of one of the accused, Shyamkanu Mahanta, citing lapses in the investigation process.

It observed that investigators had bypassed mandatory safeguards while freezing the account and noted non-compliance with Section 107 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

The prosecution submitted that the procedural irregularities were technical in nature and urged the court to overlook them. However, the judge observed that lawful intervention could still be sought if appropriate legal provisions were placed before the court.

The court also directed the prosecution to furnish a copy of a 16GB pen drive to the defence within one week.

In another development, the defence’s plea seeking access to the so-called “Singapore files” was rejected.

The court observed that documents relied upon by the Singapore Police did not fall within the ambit of India’s criminal procedure framework. It further noted that all findings collected in Assam had already been shared with the defence.

The judge directed that the apartment of another accused, Siddhartha Sarma, remain under attachment for two years or until further orders, citing the absence of a bank guarantee for the property.

The bench also ordered Sarma to submit a demand draft of Rs 16 lakh at the CID police station as a precondition for reopening the sealed flat.

According to the investigating agency, Sarma allegedly diverted Rs 16 lakh belonging to Garg and invested the amount in the purchase of the apartment.

Special Public Prosecutor Ziaul Kamar said remand proceedings and the charge hearing have been scheduled for March 13, following the document inspection.

“A separate hearing in the Mahabir Aqua matter has been fixed for March 19,” he added.

After the hearing, Garg’s wife, Garima Saikia Garg, criticised the de-freezing of Mahanta’s bank account, alleging that the defence is relying on technical grounds to delay proceedings.

“Freeing Mahanta’s account is not good news. The defence has been trying to delay the process,” she said.

Garima also said she had not yet been informed about the proposed fast-track court arrangement.

Earlier this week, the Assam Cabinet approved the creation of a dedicated fast-track court to conduct day-to-day hearings in the case.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said the state government would formally request the Gauhati High Court to constitute an exclusive sessions court under Section 346(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita to expedite the trial.

The case continues to draw widespread public attention across Assam, with calls for a swift and transparent judicial process.