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Zubeen Garg death: Viscera report likely by Oct 10; Assam CM Himanta calls on suspects to return to India
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma also clarified that recent media reports on poisoning stem from an accused's claim rather than official police findings.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday provided an update on the investigation into the alleged poisoning of late singer Zubeen Garg, stating that the viscera examination report is expected by October 10.
The CM added that while the viscera report is expected by Friday next week, full details are expected to emerge by the next day - October 11.
He highlighted that police are recording all witness statements in the case diary, regardless of their nature. Sarma also clarified that recent media reports on poisoning stem from an accused's claim rather than official police findings.
In a statement, Sarma said, “The police's duty is to record everything in the case diary as stated by witnesses. Some will say positive things, and others will say negative things, and the police will continue to document it all. However, these are not police statements; they are only witness statements.”
While clarifying the news surrounding poisoning, he said that this is a witness's statement and not a police statement. He said that this is a statement of the accused. “Whether he gave this statement to protect himself or to blame someone else will be revealed during the investigation," he added.
Urged return of key suspects
Sarma also urged the Assamese community to press for the swift return of key suspects, currently in Singapore, to avoid further delays in the probe. Stating that if the people did not return, the investigation would not be complete, he said, "Today, we are more concerned about whether the Assamese people currently in Singapore will return to cooperate with the investigation.” These are the people involved in Zubeen Garg's yacht travel.
He also named some people who are already in custody, including Shyamkanu Mahanta, Siddharth Sharma, Shekhar, and Amritprava, saying that they will uncover the truth. “If they do not, we will face another cycle of complications," he said further.
As per the official document, the late singer's bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami alleged that the singer was "poisoned" in Singapore, and his manager Siddharth Sharma and festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta had “deliberately chosen a foreign venue to conceal their conspiracy.”
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’, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami alleged that a "conspiracy" was hatched to portray his death as accidental.
On Saturday evening, Assam Police Service (APS) officer Sandipan Garg, who travelled to Singapore with Zubeen Garg, appeared before the CID in Guwahati regarding the singer's death case.
Zubeen Garg passed away in Singapore on September 19 after an alleged drowning incident.
