Zubeen Garg case: Assam moves Supreme Court against two accused's bail

The Assam government has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the bail granted to two of the accused in the death case of singer Zubeen Garg, The Sentinel reported on Friday.

The Special Leave Petition (SLP) challenges two separate orders of the Gauhati High Court this month. The first, on October 9, granted bail to co-singer Amritprabha Mahanta. The second, on October 16, released Sandipan Garg, a suspended Assam Police Deputy Superintendent of Police and a cousin of the late singer.

Why the state is appealing

Special DGP (CID) Munna Prasad Gupta, who heads the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the case, said the decision was taken after the team studied the High Court orders and took legal opinion.

The state's argument is that releasing the accused now could put the trial at risk. A fast-track court in Assam is hearing the case on a day-to-day basis and has already examined more than 130 witnesses. Earlier this month Advocate General Devajit Saikia said the state had found "discrepancies" in the Mahanta bail order, that some of its observations could cause problems for the prosecution later, and that the aim of the appeal was to make sure the accused could not influence witnesses.

Family's concerns

Zubeen Garg's wife, Garima Saikia Garg, has said the release of the two accused caused the family "considerable anguish". The family recently submitted a seven-point memorandum to Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya seeking a rigorous prosecution, and has urged the government to engage senior counsel to oppose bail pleas still pending from other accused, including festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta.

The case so far

Zubeen Garg, one of Assam's best-loved singers, died on September 19, 2025, while swimming in the sea off an island in Singapore, a day before he was to perform at the North East India Festival there. The SIT has charged seven people, with the prosecution brought under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for offences including murder and criminal conspiracy.

Besides Amritprabha Mahanta and Sandipan Garg, the accused are organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer's manager Siddharth Sharma, band member Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, and personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya.

The Supreme Court is yet to list the petition for hearing. Bail does not amount to acquittal, and the trial of all seven accused is continuing.