Zubeen Garg's bandmate alleges singer was 'poisoned', foreign venue chosen to 'conceal conspiracy'

Singer Zubeen Garg was "poisoned" in Singapore and his manager Siddharth Sharma and festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta had "deliberately chosen a foreign venue to conceal their conspiracy", the late singer's bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami has alleged, according to official documents with the police.

Both Sharma and Shyamkanu Mahanta have been arrested by police as part of their probe into the death of the famous singer. Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and co-singer Amritprava Mahanta have also been arrested in the case.

According to 'Detailed Grounds of Arrest' (remand note), Shekhar Jyoti Goswami alleged that a "conspiracy" was hatched "to portray his death as accidental".

Zubeen Garg passed away in Singapore on September 19 after an alleged drowning incident. The singer was in Singapore for the Northeast India Festival.

Goswami alleged that Siddharth Sharma, who stayed with him in a Singapore hotel, "had displayed suspicious conduct".

The 'Detailed Grounds of Arrest' said that during "the critical moments" when Zubeen Garg was gasping for breath, almost drowning, "Siddharth Sharma was heard shouting "Jabo de, jabo de" (let him go, let him go)".

"Shekhar Jyoti Goswami further stated that the accused (Siddharth Sharma) forcibly took control of the yacht from its sailor, causing it to wobble dangerously in mid-sea, thereby endangering all passengers...The witness emphasised that Zubeen Garg was an expert swimmer who had trained both him and the accused, and therefore could not have died due to drowning. He alleged that Sharma and Shyamkanu Mahanta had poisoned the victim and deliberately chosen a foreign venue to conceal their conspiracy. Sharma also instructed him not to share the yacht videos with anyone," according to 'Detailed Grounds of Arrest'.

"When Zubeen Garg was frothing by the mouth and nose, the accused Siddharth Sharma dismissed it as acid reflux and assured others there was nothing to worry about instead of providing necessary medical facilities," it further stated.

Assam Police SIT is probing the case of mysterious death of Zubeen Garg in Singapore. Special DGP (CID) Munna Prasad Gupta is leading a 10-member SIT probing the case.

A one-man inquiry commission headed by Gauhati High Court Justice Soumitra Saikia has been set up to inquire into the facts and circumstances leading to the death of singer Zubeen Garg.

Mahanta, organiser of the Northeast India Festival has approached the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the investigation from Assam Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) to a central agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court, Guwahati, on Friday sent Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and co-singer Amritprava Mahanta on 14 days' police custody in connection with Zubeen Garg's death case.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam police arrested Zubeen Garg's co-musician, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, and co-singer, Amritprava Mahanta, on Thursday, bringing the total arrests in the case to four.

Assam police had arrested Shyamkanu Mahanta and Siddharth Sharma on Wednesday

The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Kamrup (Metro) district had sent Shyamkanu Mahanta and Siddharth Sharma to 14 days' police custody. CID has added a murder charge section under the BNS Act in the registered case.