Guwahati, Oct. 1, 2025: In a major breakthrough in the investigation into the death of Assam’s beloved music icon Zubeen Garg, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Assam Police has arrested his manager, Siddhartha Sharma, and North East India Festival organiser, Shyamkanu Mahanta. Both were brought to Guwahati on Wednesday morning under tight security.
The long-absconding duo was transported in a bullet-proof prison van escorted by two buses of armed security personnel. According to police sources, they will now face intense interrogation by the SIT under “Mission Justice,” a high-security operation launched to uncover the truth behind Zubeen Garg’s mysterious death.
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Sharma, who managed the late singer, was nabbed in Rajasthan, while Mahanta was detained in Singapore with the assistance of Singapore Police and flown to Delhi on Tuesday before being handed over to Assam authorities. They have been charged under Sections 61(2), 105, and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
The arrests come after a formal complaint filed by Garima Saikia Garg, wife of the singer, along with his sister-in-law, Palme Barthakur, and a family uncle. The complaint named both Mahanta and Sharma, among others present during Garg’s final trip to Singapore, and called for a thorough probe into the circumstances of his death.
Shyamkanu Mahanta hails from a prominent family in Assam’s administrative and academic circles. He is the younger brother of former DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta and Nani Gopal Mahanta, Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University.
Earlier, the SIT had issued summons to both accused to join the investigation within 10 days. Raids were conducted at their residences when they failed to comply. With their arrests, Assam Police officials say the investigation has entered a “decisive phase.”
Zubeen Garg’s death, which sent shockwaves across Assam and the entire Northeast, continues to grip public attention, with fans and family demanding justice for the late singer.
