Court rejects bail plea of 3 accused

Guwahati: A court here on Friday, January 30, rejected the bail petitions of three of the accused in Zubeen Garg’s death case, with the singer’s wife pleading that bail should not be granted to any of them till the case is closed.

The Kamrup Metropolitan District and Sessions Court fixed February 13 as the next date of hearing, special public prosecutor (SPP) Ziaul Kamar said.

Among the seven arrested in the case, three of them – Garg’s band member Amritprava Mahanta and his two personal security officers (PSOs) Paresh Baishya and Nandeswar Bora – had earlier filed for bail.

Garg’s wife Garima, who was present during the hearing, said she was glad that the bail petitions were rejected.

“We wish that none of them get bail until the case is closed and all the accused receive their due punishment,” she said.

While Mahanta is accused of murder, the two PSOs have been charge-sheeted with criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust by misappropriating funds or property entrusted to them.

The 52-year-old singer-composer had died while swimming in the sea on September 19 in Singapore, where he had gone to attend the North East India Festival (NEIF).

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Kamar said, “Mahanta was fully a part of the conspiracy (leading to Garg’s death), and we objected to bail primarily on that ground. The two PSOs didn’t come clean on the money deposited with them by Garg until they were brought under investigation.

“The court upheld our arguments and rejected their bail petitions. It was a result of teamwork and also due to feedback as sought from the police department,” he added.

The SPP, who leads a five-member team of special public prosecutors appointed by the state government for the case, said three new petitions were filed by the accused, including one seeking details of the case being taken up by a coroner’s court in Singapore.

Kamar added that the court has fixed the next date for hearing in another case connected with accused Siddhartha Sharma, Garg’s manager, related to his business investment and a residential flat in Guwahati, on February 16.

Two of the accused – NEIF organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta and Garg’s cousin and suspended state police officer Sandeepan – had initially filed for bail, but had withdrawn their petitions in the last hearing on January 22.

While Shyamkanu is accused of murder, Sandeepan is facing charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The two other accused, Siddhartha and Garg’s another band member Shekharjyoti Goswami, both facing murder charges, have not filed bail petitions yet.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the state police’s CID is probing the case and had submitted its charge-sheet on December 12.

A separate inquiry is also underway by local authorities in Singapore, with a coroner’s court recently ruling out foul play and stating that Garg was severely intoxicated and had drowned off Lazarus Island after declining a life jacket.