The probe into singer Zubeen Garg’s death has turned into a political slugfest, with Congress, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Akhil Gogoi accusing each other.
BY PC Bureau
October 22, 2025: The probe into the mysterious death of iconic Assamese singer Zubeen Garg has snowballed into a major political controversy in Assam, with Congress, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi exchanging sharp allegations over the credibility and conduct of the investigation.
Assam Congress Legislature Party leader Debabrata Saikia launched a blistering attack on the Chief Minister, accusing him of “influencing and obscuring” the inquiry being led by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the CID. Saikia said Sarma’s “contradictory statements” had “created public confusion” and “raised serious doubts” about the transparency of the probe.
“From his remarks, it appears that the Chief Minister has inside access to the SIT’s findings,” Saikia alleged. “If he already knows the details, why are they being selectively shared with the media instead of the people of Assam?”
The Congress leader reminded that Sarma had initially termed Zubeen’s death a case of “murder” before later claiming that the truth would be “hard for the people to digest.” Saikia questioned the Chief Minister’s silence since that comment, saying it suggested political interference and selective information flow.
He also criticised the government’s handling of Zubeen’s safety during his visit to Singapore. “If the Chief Minister knew of threats to Zubeen’s safety, why wasn’t proper security ensured? Authorities knew he suffered from seizures, so why was he allowed into the sea without a life jacket?” he said.
Saikia further raised procedural questions about the search operation at the residence of event organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, asking whether a magistrate or official witness was present and how Mahanta’s family was allowed to re-enter the sealed house.
On September 24, Saikia wrote to President Droupadi Murmu seeking a joint CID–CBI probe under the supervision of a Gauhati High Court judge. He also sent a letter to Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on October 18, urging cooperation and transparency from Singaporean authorities.
“We demand a House Committee on Zubeen Garg’s probe and a CBI investigation under the supervision of a Judge,” said LoP @DsaikiaOfficial , raising serious concerns over the SIT probe and the CM @himantabiswa ‘s ever-changing statements.#JusticeForZubeenGarg #CBI #SITZubeenProbe pic.twitter.com/gIDfnviUXb
— Dibyendu K Das (@dibyendu_das) October 21, 2025
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has already accused the Congress of “politicising a tragic death for headlines.” Sarma dismissed Saikia’s allegations as “baseless,” saying the SIT was working independently and transparently. “Those who failed Zubeen when he was alive are now trying to exploit his death,” he said, adding that the opposition was “playing with public sentiment.”
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Akhil Gogoi, the Raijor Dal MLA and peasant leader, also waded into the controversy, blaming both Congress and the ruling BJP for “turning the case into a political spectacle.” Gogoi said, “Instead of a blame game, we should demand a fair investigation and justice for Zubeen. The people of Assam are tired of this political drama.”
Meanwhile, the SIT and CID have so far arrested seven individuals in connection with the case, including event organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Zubeen’s manager Siddharth Sharma, cousin Sandipan Garg (a suspended APS officer), bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, co-singer Amritprava Mahanta, and personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya. All seven have been remanded to judicial custody by the CJM Court in Guwahati.
The Chief Minister has maintained that “shocking details” would eventually be made public, but weeks later, no official disclosure has been made—further fuelling speculation and suspicion across Assam.
As the blame game intensifies, the focus on uncovering the truth behind Zubeen Garg’s death risks being overshadowed by political mudslinging, even as fans and civil society continue to demand a transparent and credible probe into the tragedy that has shaken the state.
