GUWAHATI: A special fast-track court in Assam on Tuesday framed charges against all the seven accused in the singer-musician Zubeen Garg’s death case.
Briefing media persons, special public prosecutor Ziaul Kamar said the court framed the charges based on the sections mentioned in the charge sheet filed by the Assam Special Investigation Team (SIT).
The SIT had slapped the charge of murder against four accused—North East India Festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma, bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and singer Amritprabha Mahanta.
The three other accused were Garg’s DSP cousin Sandipan Garg, personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya.
“After hearing the submissions made by both sides, the court presided over by Justice Sharmila Bhuyan framed the charges against all the seven accused persons. From today, there will be no miscellaneous hearing. Trial in the main case will be held on a daily basis from June 8,” Kamar said.
He further stated that only Sandipan was not facing the charge of conspiracy.
The singer’s wife Garima Saikia Garg was optimistic about getting justice in the case. “Truth will prevail in the fight for justice. We have complete faith and trust in the legal system,” she said.
Meanwhile, speaking in the Assembly on Tuesday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma trained his gun on the Congress for allegedly politicising Garg’s demise during Assembly elections.
“Zubeen Garg was our heartthrob and an asset of Assam who had influenced generations of Assamese youth through his music and public life,” Sarma stated.
Garg (52) died while swimming near the Lazarus Island in Singapore on September 19 last year. He travelled to the country to attend the North East India Festival.
In December last year, Sarma had told the Assembly that Garg was murdered as part of a conspiracy. However, a coroner’s inquiry in Singapore ruled that he drowned accidentally.
