Assam Congress president and Lok Sabha deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi has raised serious concerns over the ongoing investigation into the death of popular singer Zubeen Garg, alleging that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the state government is being used to shield politically connected individuals rather than deliver justice.
Speaking at a memorial for Garg organized by opposition parties on Sunday, Gogoi claimed that the SIT appears to be protecting Shyamkanu Mahanta, organizer of the North East India Festival (NEIF), and Garg’s manager Siddhartha Sharma, both of whom are currently in judicial custody. “The way Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is handling this investigation, it feels like the SIT was formed to hide his close relation with Shyamkanu Mahanta,” Gogoi said.
Zubeen Garg, aged 52, passed away on September 19 while swimming in Singapore during his visit to attend the 4th NEIF. The state police’s CID formed a 10-member SIT to investigate the case. So far, seven people have been arrested, including Mahanta, Sharma, Garg’s cousin and police officer Sandipan, band members Sekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta, and his personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya. 
Gaurav Gogoi highlighted the political connections of the accused. Shyamkanu Mahanta is the younger brother of former Assam DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, now chief of the Assam State Information Commission, and another brother, Nani Gopal Mahanta, previously served as the chief minister’s education advisor and is currently vice chancellor of Gauhati University. Gogoi questioned the credibility of the investigation, saying that legal experts and those familiar with criminal law are raising doubts. “The chief minister seems more concerned about protecting his image than ensuring a fair probe,” he said.
Paying tribute to Garg, Gogoi described him as a fearless voice for Assam’s people, culture, and environment. “In his absence, we feel a little lost. Our duty is to take forward his dream, and Bhupen Hazarika’s dream, of a ‘Bor Asom’,” he said.
