The investigation into the death of Assamese cultural icon Zubeen Garg gained momentum on Monday as three more Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) from Singapore appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Guwahati. The trio - Jiolangsat Narzary, Parikshit Sharma and Siddhartha Bora - were among those who had witnessed Garg's final moments in Singapore, officials said. They reached the CID headquarters in the morning and are currently being questioned. Another expat, Bhaskar Jyoti Dutta, is expected to arrive later in the day, confirmed CID Special DGP Munna Prasad Gupta. "We have started our interrogation with the three. We are now waiting for the fourth person," Gupta told reporters.
CID issues fresh notices to 10 Singapore-based Assamese
The Assam Police have issued fresh summonses to 10 members of the Assam Association Singapore after they failed to respond to the earlier notice by the October 6 deadline. So far, only Rupkamal Kalita has appeared before the CID and was questioned for over 24 hours before being allowed to leave. Gupta said that six people are still yet to respond, but authorities remain hopeful. "We are hoping that a few more people will appear before us in the next 48 hours," he added. The Special DGP noted that investigators are "burning the midnight oil" to bring the case to a logical conclusion at the earliest.
Assam Police awaits nod to visit Singapore
The CID has already sent a formal request to Singapore seeking permission to visit the country and examine the location where the incident occurred. Gupta said that the request, submitted on September 30, has reached the concerned authorities. "Our request for visiting Singapore reached them on September 30 itself and we are still awaiting a response. We will visit Singapore, where the incident took place, once we get the approval from the Singaporean authority. We are hopeful of a positive response soon," he stated. He further mentioned that the investigation is progressing on the right track, with Assam Police closely coordinating with their Singaporean counterparts through the Indian High Commission. "Like us, the Singapore Police are also conducting a probe. They sought some information from us and we already provided that to them through the Indian High Commission," Gupta said.
CID awaits approval for Singapore visit
The Indian government had earlier invoked the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with Singapore, seeking cooperation in the investigation into the death of the singer in the Southeast Asian country. The celebrated singer died under mysterious circumstances in Singapore on September 19 while swimming in the sea. He had gone to the Southeast Asian nation to attend the 4th edition of the North East India Festival. Earlier, North East India Festival chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer's manager Siddharth Sharma, and his two band members -- Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amrit Prabha Mahanta -- were apprehended. Later, Garg's cousin and Assam Police DSP Sandipan Garg was arrested in connection with the singer's death in Singapore last month.
Several associates and relatives arrested
Zubeen Garg's PSOs Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya were also arrested after police found huge financial transactions, worth over Rs 1.1 crore, from their accounts. All seven arrested people are now in police custody. Mahanta and Sharma's remands will end on Tuesday and police cannot get further custody, the SDGP said. "As per the law, we can get a maximum custody of 15 days. The first day is usually consumed in arrest and other formalities. So, we have exhausted the maximum limit. Now, it is unlikely that court will give us further remand," he added.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam Police is currently probing Garg's death case after more than 60 FIRs were lodged across the state. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said investigators of Zubeen Garg's death case have found a "definite angle" after they received the viscera report.
SIT detects definite angle in case
After Garg's second post-mortem examination at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), the viscera sample was sent to the Central Forensic Laboratory (CFL) in Delhi for a detailed examination. The first autopsy was conducted in Singapore immediately after Garg's death. The second post-mortem examination was done at GMCH on September 23 before taking Garg's body for cremation. The CM also said that the Singapore Police had sought some "vital information" in connection with the death of the singer in the island nation, and the Assam government forwarded the required inputs to the authorities there.
(With inputs from AP)
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