Shyamkanu Mahanta, the organiser of the Northeast India Festival, has approached the Supreme Court (SC) seeking a transfer of the investigation into the death of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg to a central agency like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Mahanta, who has been arrested by the Assam CID, has also requested the appointment of a retired Supreme Court judge to monitor and supervise the investigation surrounding the singer's death.
Zubeen Garg passed away on September 19, 2025, in Singapore, a day before he was scheduled to perform at the Northeast India Festival. Initial reports suggest that the 52-year-old artist drowned while swimming near an island during a yacht outing.
In his petition to the Supreme Court, Mahanta, who was arrested by the CID, has urged that the probe be transferred from the Assam Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) to a central agency, citing concerns over impartiality. The petition also seeks the transfer of the FIR registered in Assam to another state. Furthermore, it requests the apex court to direct the police to refrain from detaining or taking any coercive measures against Mahanta or his family members. Mahanta has also sought the de-sealing of his properties and the unfreezing of bank accounts belonging to him and his family.
Mahanta's petition alleges that he is the victim of a "well-calculated witch-hunt" involving irresponsible media reporting that seeks to create a false narrative regarding his alleged involvement in the unfortunate death of Zubeen Garg. The petition states that Mahanta could not have met the deceased on September 19, 2025, the day of the incident because he was overseeing the festival arrangements and had last met him on September 17, 2025. The petition also references media reports, including video footage available on YouTube, which indicate that the singer was swimming with his family and friends. Mahanta stated that he learned of the singer's death around 1 p.m. IST via a phone call from the singer's manager, Siddharth Sharma.
The Assam Police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and causing death by negligence. Murder charges have also been added against Garg's manager, Siddharth Sharma, and Shyamkanu Mahanta. Sharma and Mahanta were arrested earlier in the week from Delhi. A Guwahati court has sent Garg's bandmate, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, and co-singer, Amritprava Mahanta, to 14 days' police custody.
Zubeen Garg's band member, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, has alleged that Zubeen Garg's manager Siddharth Sharma and event organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta of poisoning the singer. Goswami claimed that the choice of a foreign location, specifically the Pan Pacific Hotel in Singapore, was an attempt to cover up the murder and make the death appear accidental. Goswami also claimed that Sharma dismissed the critical warning signs of frothing as mere 'acid reflux' instead of seeking urgent medical help, a negligence witnesses believe accelerated Zubeen's death. Goswami emphasized that Zubeen was an expert swimmer, suggesting he could not have drowned naturally and alleged that Sharma tried to suppress evidence by instructing Goswami not to share any video footage of the yacht incident.
The Singapore Police Force has ruled out foul play in the singer's death. However, the Assam government ordered another autopsy after the singer's mortal remains returned to India. The Union government has also invoked the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with Singapore to facilitate cooperation.
