GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that music icon Zubeen Garg’s death was not accidental but a case of murder.
“I won’t call it an accident but murder. The charge sheet in Zubeen Garg’s murder case has to be filed before December 17. I have set a December 8 target,” Sarma told media persons.
The chief minister said that since the incident occurred on foreign soil, approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was required before filing the charge sheet.
“If something happens on foreign soil, we need the MHA’s approval before we file the charge sheet. I met Union Home Minister Amit Shah yesterday so that we get the approval early,” he said.
Sarma added that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case would write to the MHA within the next three to four days to seek approval. He expressed hope that the SIT would be able to file the charge sheet by December 8.
Reacting to the statement, Congress MP and Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi urged the chief minister to share the evidence if it was indeed a murder.
“The chief minister said it was murder, but he did not tell us how it happened. If Garg was murdered, the chief minister should tell people how it happened,” Gogoi said.
Sarma’s remark came days after the Assam Police received the post-mortem and toxicology reports from Singapore authorities.
Two days earlier, the chief minister had said that those who doubted justice in the case would have to change their opinion once the charge sheet was filed.
“They will be compelled to say that the SIT has done a good job. I proved people wrong in the past, and I will prove them wrong again,” Sarma said.
He added that all facts would be brought before the court and the public.
“When I say this, you must understand how confident I am,” he told reporters, adding that people would soon come to know about “many sad and painful stories” surrounding Garg’s life.
Zubeen Garg had died under mysterious circumstances while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19. He had travelled there to participate in the 4th North East India Festival (NEIF).
So far, seven persons, including NEIF organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, have been arrested by the SIT in connection with the case.