Singapore NRIs Summoned in Zubeen Garg Death Investigation: Four to Cooperate with Assam Police

Zubeen Garg passed away in Singapore on September 19.

Four of the eleven Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) summoned by Assam Police regarding the investigation into musician Zubeen Garg's death will present themselves to authorities in Guwahati on Monday.

According to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, one NRI has already responded to the summons issued by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), and four more will participate in the investigation into the singer's tragic death during a yacht event in Singapore on September 19.

"We strongly encourage the remaining six Singapore-based NRIs to cooperate with the investigation. As Assamese individuals, it's their moral and ethical duty. Should they fail to cooperate, we will exhaust all resources to bring them in for questioning, as their testimonies to the SIT are critical," he stated during a Facebook Live session. These eleven NRIs were reportedly present when the singer drowned at sea.

This development comes amid growing criticism of authorities regarding the alleged non-cooperation from the NRIs, with Garg's family raising concerns about their reluctance to participate in the investigation.

In further case developments, police have received the viscera report from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in New Delhi. Sarma indicated this has provided the SIT with a definite investigative direction. "The complete chronology of the Zubeen Garg death case will be presented to the court very soon," he assured.

Seven individuals have been arrested in connection with Garg's death and remain in police custody. Among those detained was the singer's cousin Sandipan Garg, an Assam Police officer who had traveled with the singer to Singapore for the northeast India music festival.

On October 1, authorities arrested Zubeen's manager Siddharth Sharma and event organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta, who had coordinated the Singapore music festival where the singer was scheduled to perform. Both face charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Subsequently, two of Zubeen's bandmates - musician Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and singer Amritprabha Mahanta - were taken into custody and placed under 14-day police remand for additional questioning.