ED and Income Tax Department Join Assam Police Investigation into Zubeen Garg Death Case and Financial Crimes

Further, 28 stamp seals were recovered from his office premises. (File)

Guwahati:

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (I-T) Department are expected to collaborate with Assam Police in investigating alleged organized financial crimes and benami property acquisition by event manager Shyamkanu Mahanta, who is implicated in the death of Assam's cultural icon Zubeen Garg.

Assam Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has uncovered financial irregularities allegedly committed by Mahanta dating back more than 20 years during his previous employment at a non-banking financial company (NBFC).

According to sources familiar with the investigation, officials from ED and the I-T Department have already visited CID headquarters to examine the case.

Assam Police have launched a separate investigation against festival organizer Mahanta for "organized financial crimes" and "acquiring substantial benami properties through money laundering."

"Representatives from the ED and I-T Department have met with senior officials at the CID office to discuss the case. They are expected to join the investigation alongside CID, with a formal announcement anticipated soon," a source revealed.

During raids conducted on September 25 and 26, the CID seized numerous incriminating documents and items from Mahanta's residence, including multiple PAN cards for the same firm, approximately 30 stamp seals belonging to various companies and government officials, and documentation related to several benami properties.

The source declined to provide additional details, noting that releasing more information publicly could compromise the ongoing investigation.

When asked whether the ED and I-T Department would join the investigation into Mahanta's alleged fiscal irregularities, CID Special DGP Munna Prasad Gupta told PTI, "I cannot comment on their behalf. It is up to them to decide."

The CID is currently investigating Garg's death after more than 60 FIRs were filed across the state against Mahanta, who served as chief organizer of the North East India Festival where the singer had gone to perform, along with approximately 10 others, including the icon's manager Siddharth Sharma and band members Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprabha Mahanta.

Special DGP Gupta leads a nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the untimely death of Garg in Singapore. Four individuals have already been arrested and placed in 14-day police remand.

Shyamkanu is the younger brother of former DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, who currently serves as the Chief Information Commissioner of the Assam State Information Commission. Another elder brother, Nani Gopal Mahanta, previously worked as Education Advisor to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma before becoming Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University.

Another source speaking anonymously revealed that CID has discovered financial irregularities allegedly committed by Shyamkanu Mahanta over two decades ago when he worked as Assistant General Manager with the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi).

"The investigation revealed that he, along with two GMs, had approved a loan exceeding Rs 14 crore to DSS E-Connect Ltd for establishing call centers in Assam. Of this amount, Rs 8.42 crore was disbursed in 2001 and Rs 6 crore in 2003," the source added.

When no call center was established and no EMI payments were made until 2003, NEDFi initiated an internal investigation in early 2004, but it was never completed.

Prior to this internal investigation, the loan to DSS was classified as a Non-Performing Asset (NPA) on March 31, 2003.

"Mahanta served as the project manager for the entire operation. In late 2004, he resigned from NEDFi and joined Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) as Vice President. He subsequently left that position as well to establish his own event management firm, Trend MMS," the source explained.

Garg died under mysterious circumstances in Singapore on September 19 while swimming in the sea. He had traveled to the Southeast Asian nation to attend the 4th edition of the North East India Festival, organized by Shyamkanu Mahanta and his company.

During last week's search operation at Mahanta's residence, CID investigators seized two PAN cards issued in the name of his event organizing company, 'Trend MMS'.

Additionally, 28 stamp seals were discovered at his office premises, including seals belonging to various companies and numerous government officials.

Investigators also recovered documents from Mahanta's residence and office related to the construction of roads under the PMGSY scheme in various districts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.