Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday announced that lookout notices have been issued against North East India Festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta and late singer Zubeen Garg’s manager, Siddharth Sharma, in connection with the ongoing investigation into Garg’s death.
Speaking during a Facebook Live session, Sarma said both men have been directed to appear before the CID in Guwahati on October 6 to record their statements. “As Durga Puja is about to begin, we have given them time. But after Dashami, they must come to Guwahati. If they fail to appear, police will intensify the search operation,” he said.
In a precautionary move, the chief minister stated that Mahanta’s bank accounts and credit cards have been frozen to prevent him from staying abroad for an extended period.
Ongoing investigation
The CID is probing the circumstances surrounding Garg’s death by drowning in Singapore on September 19. While authorities await the autopsy report from Singapore, a second post-mortem conducted at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital has already been completed.
To ensure a transparent inquiry, Sarma has written to the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court requesting the formation of a judicial commission headed by a sitting judge. He further assured that the case would be handed over to the CBI if Assam Police is found wanting at any stage of the investigation.
The chief minister urged the public to refrain from politicising the tragedy. “Let us not indulge in anti-government politics in Zubeen’s name to destabilize Assam,” he said, calling for restraint and calm as the investigation progresses.