Lagatar24 Desk
Guwahati: In a dramatic turn in the probe into the death of cultural icon and singer Zubeen Garg, his bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami has accused the late artist’s manager Siddharth Sharma and festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta of poisoning him and conspiring to disguise the incident as an accident in Singapore. Both men have denied the allegations during police interrogation.
Suspicious Behaviour Before Tragedy
Goswami’s testimony, recorded under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), paints a troubling picture of Sharma’s conduct in the hours leading up to Garg’s death. He alleged that Sharma forcibly took control of the yacht during the fateful trip, causing it to dangerously wobble mid-sea. Sharma also instructed an NRI organiser not to arrange drinks, claiming he alone would supply them.
During Garg’s critical moments in the water, Goswami claimed he heard Sharma shouting “Jabo de, jabo de” (“let him go, let him go”). He emphasised that Zubeen Garg was a trained swimmer who had even coached both Goswami and Sharma, making accidental drowning unlikely. Goswami further alleged that Sharma and Mahanta chose Singapore as the venue to conceal their plan and instructed him to keep yacht videos private.
Financial Trail Under Probe
Investigators have said that preliminary evidence — including documents, financial transactions, and witness statements — suggests Sharma’s involvement. Sharma, named as an accused in the FIR, faces non-bailable charges including criminal conspiracy, murder, and culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Goswami also recounted that when Garg was frothing at the mouth and nose, Sharma dismissed it as acid reflux instead of seeking urgent medical help, allegedly hastening the singer’s death.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax (I-T) Department are preparing to join the investigation, focusing on suspected organised financial crimes and benami property acquisitions by Mahanta. Assam Police’s CID has reportedly uncovered decades-old financial irregularities tied to Mahanta’s previous role at a non-banking financial company.
