Guwahati: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Assam Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Wednesday arrested Sandipan Garg, a cousin of cultural icon Zubeen Garg, in connection with the singer’s death in Singapore last month.
Sandipan, an Assam Police Service (APS) officer currently serving as Deputy Superintendent (Law and Order) in Kamrup district, was suspended from service with immediate effect following his arrest.
According to the CID, Sandipan was present in Singapore at the time of Garg’s death on September 19 during a swimming incident. He had been questioned for four days before his arrest. Sandipan is the fifth person arrested in connection with the case.
Following his arrest, he was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Kamrup (Metropolitan) district and remanded to police custody for seven days.
Special DGP (CID), MP Gupta, who heads the 10-member SIT, stated, “Today we arrested Sandipan following his interrogation. Since the investigation is underway, I cannot reveal further details.”
Earlier, the CID had arrested Shyamkanu Mahanta, organiser of the North East India Festival (NEIF) in Singapore, singer’s manager Siddharth Sharma, bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, and singer Amritprava Mahanta. All four are currently in CID custody. Zubeen Garg’s wife, Garrima Saikia Garg, said, “Sandipan was called for questioning, following which he was arrested. The investigation is ongoing.”
The CID had initially registered cases of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy, and death due to negligence. Subsequent interrogations led to the addition of murder charges against the accused.
A separate case was also filed against Shyamkanu Mahanta over alleged financial irregularities after documents and seals were recovered from his Guwahati residence.
Special DGP MP Gupta further announced that fresh summons will be issued to 10 Assam-based NRIs from Singapore linked to the yacht party Garg attended. Earlier, 11 NRIs were asked to appear before the CID by October 6; only one has complied so far.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that central agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax Department, will investigate the alleged financial irregularities involving the festival organiser.