The family of late Assamese singer Zubeen Garg has expressed concern that the murder case against those accused of his death could be weakened after the Gauhati High Court granted bail to one of the seven accused facing trial. Garg’s wife, Garrima Saikia Garg, joined a peaceful protest on Monday, calling for justice for the singer.
The high court granted bail to band member Amritprava Mahanta on Friday. Garg, 52, died under mysterious circumstances while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19 last year.
Speaking to journalists at the singer’s memorial in Sonapur, on the outskirts of Guwahati, Garrima said the family had waited a year for justice and had believed assurances that those responsible for his death would be held accountable.
“We waited for a year with the faith of getting justice and our chief minister had also maintained that Garg was murdered and those responsible will be dealt with adequately,” she said.
Questioning the bail decision, she said the family had been assured that the chargesheet filed after a detailed investigation was “leak-proof”.
“Then how come one of the prime accused in the case who has been charged with murder managed to get bail from the high court? This is likely to weaken the case,” she added.
Wife appeals for peaceful protest
Following the high court’s order, hundreds of Garg’s fans gathered at his memorial in Sonapur to express their dismay. Garrima appealed to them to remain peaceful and unite in their demand for justice.
She also raised concerns about the implications of granting bail to those accused in the case, questioning whether their release could pose a threat to the family and others.
“If those accused in the case get bail, what does it say about the investigation? Won't such people coming out of jail pose a threat to our lives? If someone of Garg's stature fails to get justice, what more can we expect,” she said.
Himanta Biswa Sarma avoids commenting on bail order
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the government should not comment on a judicial decision while the matter remained sub judice.
“As a government, we can't comment on the orders passed by the high court or the Supreme Court. But judging by how the trial of the case is progressing in a fast track court on a daily basis for close to a year now, we are hopeful of a good outcome,” Sarma said on Monday.
Garg’s death in Singapore last year triggered widespread demands across Assam for a thorough investigation. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) subsequently concluded that the singer had been murdered as part of a planned conspiracy.
Seven accused arrested in the case
Apart from Mahanta, six other people were arrested in connection with Garg’s death. They include the singer’s manager, the organiser of the event in Singapore that Garg had travelled to attend, another bandmate, his cousin and two security officers. All six remain in jail.
Last month, a special court granted bail to the two security officers in a separate disproportionate assets case. However, they continued to remain in custody over their alleged involvement in Garg’s death.
The high court’s detailed order said the investigation materials and evidence recorded during the trial did not establish a prima facie case of murder conspiracy against Mahanta at this stage. The court also considered that 124 prosecution witnesses had been examined, her prolonged detention of more than a year and the absence of previous criminal antecedents.
The court clarified that its observations were limited to the bail proceedings and did not determine Mahanta’s guilt or innocence in the ongoing trial. She was granted bail against a bond of ₹50,000 and two sureties, subject to conditions including surrendering her passport. The prosecution has said it will examine the order before deciding on further action.