Zubeen Garg death case: SC seeks Assam govt’s reply on bail plea of accused

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the Assam government's response to a bail plea filed by Shyamkanu Mahanta, one of the accused in the high-profile death case of celebrated Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, even as investigations into the controversial case continue despite Singapore authorities ruling out foul play.

A bench of justices B.V. Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Assam government while hearing Mahanta's challenge to a Gauhati High Court order that had rejected his request for bail.

"Issue notice," the bench said, posting the matter for further hearing in July.

Mahanta, who has been in custody since 1 October 2025, approached the apex court after the Gauhati High Court on 29 May refused to grant him bail, observing that the case was not fit for such relief at the present stage.

In his plea, Mahanta has maintained that he was not part of any conspiracy linked to the singer's death and has questioned the continued denial of bail.

The case stems from the death of Zubeen Garg, one of the most iconic voices from the Northeast, who died under mysterious circumstances in Singapore on September 19 last year while swimming in the sea during a visit to attend the fourth edition of the North East India Festival (NEIF).

His sudden death triggered shock and outrage across Assam, leading to more than 60 FIRs being lodged in different parts of the state and prompting the Assam Police to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

The investigation has taken an unusual turn, with authorities in Singapore and Assam arriving at sharply different conclusions.

The Singapore Police Force, which conducted its own probe into the incident, concluded that there was no evidence of foul play. A coroner's court in Singapore later ruled that Garg had drowned off Lazarus Island while under the influence of alcohol after declining to wear a life jacket.

Despite those findings, Assam authorities have maintained that the conclusions reached in Singapore do not automatically close the case in India and have continued their investigation into allegations raised by complainants.

The matter has remained politically and emotionally charged in Assam, where Garg enjoys an almost legendary status and commands a massive fan following.

With the Supreme Court now seeking the state's response, attention will turn to the next hearing, where Mahanta's plea for bail is expected to come under detailed judicial scrutiny while the larger investigation into the singer's death continues.

With PTI inputs