Bail to key accused charged with Zubeen Garg's 'murder' may weaken case: Late singer's wife

The high court on Friday granted bail to band member Amritprava Mahanta.

The family of late singer Zubeen Garg has expressed dismay and held a peaceful protest on Monday against the bail granted by Gauhati high court to his bandmate, who is one of the seven accused facing trial for the alleged murder of the 52-year-old.

The high court on Friday granted bail to band member Amritprava Mahanta. The cultural icon died under mysterious circumstances on September 19 last year while swimming in the sea in Singapore.

"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," Garg's wife, Garrima Saikia Garg, told journalists at the singer-cum-composer's memorial place on the outskirts of Guwahati.

Also read | One year of Zubeen Garg's death: A murder case, 7 accused, conflicting investigations and a legacy beyond all this

"We were told that the chargesheet filed in the case 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.

Following the high court order, hundreds of Garg's fans gathered at the memorial place located at Sonapur where Garrima Saikia appealed to all for a peaceful demonstration and to get united for justice.

"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.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that it won't be proper to comment on a decision taken by the judiciary when the case is sub-judice.

Also read | Zubeen Garg death: Guwahati court gives bail to 2 personal security officers in assets case

"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," he said on Monday.

Garg’s death last year had sparked a statewide demand for a thorough probe into the matter. A special investigation team (SIT) constituted later said Garg was murdered as part of a planned conspiracy.

Besides Mahanta, six people – Garg's manager, the organiser of the event in Singapore which the singer had gone to attend, another bandmate, Garg's cousin and two security officers – were arrested in the case. All of them are currently in jail.

Last month, a special court granted bail to the two security officers in a separate disproportionate assets case. They continued to remain in prison for their alleged role in Garg's death.

A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More