In Guwahati, on March 25, opposition parties questioned the Assam police regarding the death of Zubeen Garg, after the Singapore Police Coast Guard ruled out foul play. This ruling was upheld by a coroner in Singapore.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma maintained that there was no difference between the Singapore conclusion and the state police's chargesheet, and that it would "strengthen" the case.
The coroner in Singapore found that Garg's death was "due to an unfortunate and tragic accidental drowning," and that no one had forced, coerced, or pushed him into the water.
Following this, the opposition parties in Assam stated that the "mystery" surrounding Garg's death on September 19 last year remains unsolved, particularly with investigating agencies in India and Singapore reaching different conclusions.
Addressing a concern raised by Garg's wife about the Singapore Police Coast Guard's finding that there was no foul play, State Coroner Adam Nakhoda said the PCG had conducted a comprehensive investigation.
Nakhoda said that Garg was intoxicated, which likely impaired his judgment.
The singer-composer drowned while swimming off Lazarus Island in September last year, a day before he was scheduled to perform at the North East India Festival in Singapore.
Shortly after the coroner's verdict, Garg's uncle Manoj Kumar Borthakur posted on Facebook: "Many are using Zubeen's name to sway voters in this election. I urge them not to do so, as these people ignored Zubeen during his lifetime."
Assembly elections in Assam will be held on April 9.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Assam Police's CID investigated the death and filed its chargesheet before a local court in December, naming seven accused. Four of them are facing murder charges.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in the state Assembly in November that Garg's death was a case of "plain and simple murder."
A fast-track sessions court was notified on Tuesday to hear the case here on a day-to-day basis.
Reacting to the coroner's ruling, Sarma on Wednesday said, "There is no difference between the Singapore judgement and our chargesheet... I think this judgement will strengthen our case."
He pointed out that the coroner said Garg had consumed alcohol, which was also stated by the Assam police. "The only thing we said was he was made to drink it," the CM added.
Further, the coroner's court said the singer had been drinking since the night before the incident, which was also concurred by Assam Police, Sarma said, adding, "We said Amrit Prabha (an accused) was making him drink as part of a conspiracy."
The chief minister, who also holds the charge of the home department, said he has been maintaining from the very beginning that the Assam Police would be able to do a better job in the case than the Singapore police.
"Some people were saying that Assam Police should have gone to Singapore. Had we gone there, what would have been our situation today? That we did the right thing has been proven by today's verdict," he maintained.
"Today, the people of Assam will understand how sincerely we have been working, staying away from politics. We would not have got the same result had we gone to Singapore. When the bank accounts are here, and the conspiracy was hatched here, what would we have done there?" the CM posed.
State Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, however, said the verdict was "hard to believe", and questioned how the two probe agencies arrived at different conclusions if information was shared, as both countries had signed a special legal assistance treaty to ensure coordination in the case.
"There were discussions between the two governments. The Assam SIT visited Singapore, and there must have been an exchange of information. Yet, the Singapore government says one thing while the Assam government states another in the Assembly," he said.
Gogoi claimed the Singapore verdict will help the accused here.
"Sarma himself had said that if justice is not delivered in the Zubeen Garg case before the Assembly elections, people should not vote for the BJP. Does he remember that statement today?" he questioned. "We never expected such a verdict in Zubeen's case. Like us, many others are finding it hard to believe it."
Congress MP Rakibul Hussain asserted that people want to know the truth. "The chief minister must now reveal whether the murderers have been punished or not," he said.
Assam Jatiya Parishad leader Chittaranjan Basumatary said the "mystery behind Garg's death remaining unsolved was unfortunate". He questioned how the investigation system of two countries can come out with different results in the same case.
"The chief minister had asked people to vote for him only if he could ensure justice for Zubeen. Let's see how he can ensure it after so much delay," he added.
Of the seven accused in judicial custody, NEIF chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer's manager Siddharth Sharma, and his two band members, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amrit Prabha Mahanta, are facing murder charges.
The singer's cousin and suspended Assam Police DSP Sandipan Garg is charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Garg's two PSOs, Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya, are charged with criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust by misappropriating funds or property.
