The Gauhati High Court declined Siddhartha Sarma’s bail plea, a key figure in the Zubeen Garg death case, leading to the postponement of the hearing. Sarma’s application for bail was not taken up by Justice Parthivjyoti Saikia’s Bench, resulting in no substantial progress in the plea on that day. Meanwhile, Siddhartha Sarma’s business associate, Chetan Dhiracharia, also approached the Gauhati High Court regarding the case, with details of his plea not immediately disclosed.
Sarma, who previously served as Zubeen Garg’s manager, had sought bail from the High Court after his application was rejected by a Fast Track Court. The lower court had denied him bail, citing the severity of the accusations and the ongoing investigation. Recently, the Gauhati High Court turned down festival organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta’s bail plea, emphasizing the seriousness of the allegations and the advanced stage of the investigation.
The case revolves around the demise of renowned Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, who passed away on September 19 last year while swimming near Lazarus Island in Singapore, a day before his scheduled performance at an event organized under the North East International Festival (NEIF) banner. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the CID wing of Assam Police conducted a thorough investigation and filed a chargesheet in December, naming seven individuals as accused, with four facing murder charges. The case has garnered significant public interest in Assam, with supporters and family members of the singer advocating for a comprehensive investigation under the ‘Justice for Zubeen Garg’ campaign.
While Singapore Police’s parallel investigation concluded no foul play in the singer’s death, Assam authorities have affirmed that the foreign probe outcomes will not impact the ongoing investigation and trial in the state.
