GUWAHATI: The Criminal Investigation Department-Special Investigation Team arrested two of Zubeen Garg’s personal security officers on Friday in connection with the music icon’s mysterious death while swimming in Singapore on September 19.
Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya were arrested after five days of interrogation by the CID-SIT. The two were produced in a local court, which sent them to five-day police remand.
Munna Prasad Gupta, SIT Chief and Special DGP (CID), confirmed the arrests, stating, “Yes, both were arrested today by the SIT/CID team. The arrested persons have been brought before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court for production.”
The Assam Police had suspended them on Wednesday after detecting financial transactions worth Rs 1.1 crore in their bank accounts.
The singer’s wife Garima Saikia Garg told the media on Thursday that he gave some money to the two PSOs for the social work that he did.
Bora and Baishya had been attached to Garg about a decade ago, after the singer received a death threat from the insurgent group United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).
With these two arrests, seven persons have been arrested so far in connection with the death.
The others arrested were 4th North East India Festival (NEIF) organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s cousin Sandipan Garg who is a DSP, manager Siddhartha Sharma, bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and singer Amrit Prava Mahanta.
Sandipan was also suspended following his arrest.
Garg had travelled to Singapore to attend the festival.
Earlier, the CID had sent summons to eight Singapore-based Assamese for appearance. Only one of them, Rupkamal Kalita, had deposed. All eight NRIs were on the yacht with the singer during his final moments.
Shekhar Jyoti Goswami had earlier claimed that Garg was poisoned by his manager and the NEIF organiser. The SIT is likely to receive the singer’s viscera report on Friday from the Central Forensic Laboratory in Delhi.
Meanwhile, the SIT found multiple bank accounts in the name of the NEIF organiser who was earlier grilled by the Enforcement Directorate. Bank authorities shared the details with the investigators.
Amidst the ongoing probe, Garima Saikia, wife of the late singer, has appealed to the public not to politicise Zubeen’s death and urged eyewitnesses to come forward.
Speaking to the media, she said, “I am still keeping the faith. Five to six people have been arrested, but the truth has not yet been revealed. I am waiting patiently. People are cooperating with the investigation and judicial system, and I hope the truth emerges quickly.”
She added, “It has been 21 days since Zubeen’s death. Those who witnessed the events should come forward. We have lost our icon, our heartbeat. This matter should not be politicised.”
