The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested musician Shekhar Jyoti Goswami in connection with the death of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore. Goswami was part of the group that accompanied Garg on the yacht trip linked to the singer's death. The arrest occurred on Thursday, September 25, 2025.
Goswami, a long-time associate of Zubeen Garg, was taken into custody for questioning. However, authorities have not disclosed the specific allegations against him, nor have they clarified whether formal charges will be pressed. The SIT is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Garg's death.
Zubeen Garg, 52, died on September 19, 2025, in Singapore. Initial reports suggested he died scuba diving, but it was later confirmed that he drowned while swimming in the sea. Assam's Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, stated that Garg was swimming without a life jacket and had been asked by lifeguards to wear one.
The singer's death has led to widespread public outrage and demands for a transparent investigation. Following Garg's cremation and a four-day mourning period, investigations began on Tuesday. The Assam CID has registered a consolidated case based on multiple FIRs under charges including criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and causing death by negligence.
The yacht trip, organized by Zubeen Garg's close friend Tanmoy Phukan, included 18 people: 11 Assamese residents of Singapore, five members of Zubeen's team, and two crew members. The group went to St. John's and Lazarus Islands before Garg's scheduled performance at the North East Festival.
Entrepreneur Shyamkanu Mahanta, the organizer of the Northeast festival in Singapore where Garg was scheduled to perform, is also under scrutiny and may be arrested soon. Sources indicate that Mahanta is at the Guwahati airport and has contacted the CID to surrender. Additionally, several members of the Singapore Assam Association are under investigation and could face detention. Authorities have indicated that more individuals involved in alleged irregularities surrounding the incident are likely to be apprehended.
Assam bid farewell to Zubeen Garg with full state honors at Kamarkuchi, near Guwahati. Thousands of fans sang "Mayabini," a song he requested to be sung upon his passing. Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju, Sarbananda Sonowal, MoS Pabitra Margherita, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and other dignitaries paid their respects. A second autopsy confirmed no foul play in his death.
Zubeen Garg was a cultural icon who shaped the soundscape of a generation in Assam and the Northeast. He rose to fame with his Assamese album Anamika in 1992 and gained recognition in Bollywood with songs like "Ya Ali".
