Guwahati, May 22: The Guwahati High Court is set to hear the bail application of Shyamkanu Mahanta today. He is accused in the case concerning the death of renowned Assamese singer Zubeen Garg.
This will be the second hearing of Mahanta’s bail plea before Justice Mitali Thakuria’s bench. During the first hearing on May 15, the court directed the involved parties to submit additional affidavits by May 18.
Mahanta, recognized as a popular festival organizer in the Northeast, has been in jail for several months. His name has surfaced among the accused in the investigation related to Garg’s death. Legal sources indicate that the court will review additional documents and submissions during today’s hearing, potentially leading to a decision on the bail application.
The case revolves around Zubeen Garg’s death, which occurred on September 19 last year while swimming near Lazarus Island. This incident took place just a day before he was scheduled to perform at an event organized under the NEIF banner.
Following the incident, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed by the Assam police, which conducted a thorough investigation and filed a charge sheet in December. The charge sheet names Mahanta and six others as accused, with four facing murder charges, escalating the seriousness of the case.
Previously, the then Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma referred to the matter as a “clear-cut murder case” during a discussion in the state assembly, clarifying the government’s stance on the issue.
In contrast, a parallel investigation by Singapore police yielded different conclusions, stating that there was no evidence of conspiracy or criminal activity related to Zubeen Garg’s death.
Despite this, Assam’s agencies have emphasized that the findings from the foreign investigation will not influence the ongoing inquiry and trial in the state.
This case continues to be a topic of significant public and political discussion, with the upcoming bail hearing viewed as a crucial step in the legal process.
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