Zubeen Garg death case: Assam cabinet moves Gauhati High Court for dedicated fast-track court

Zubeen Garg death

• Assam Cabinet seeks fast-track court for Zubeen Garg death case
• Move follows appeals from Garg's family for a quicker trial
• Gauhati High Court to decide on forming the special court

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In a decisive move to expedite proceedings in a case that has captured the state's attention, the Assam Cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal to approach the Gauhati High Court seeking the constitution of a dedicated fast-track court for a day-to-day trial in the case pertaining to the death of cultural icon Zubeen Garg.

The decision, taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at Lok Sewa Bhawan, comes amid growing public sentiment and follows a direct appeal from the late singer's family for a swifter judicial process.

Zubeen Garg, the celebrated singer and musician, passed away on September 19 last year in Singapore while swimming in the sea. The case has since seen several individuals taken into custody. Among those currently in judicial custody are Shyamkanu Mahanta, the chief organiser of the North East India Festival; the singer’s manager, Siddharth Sharma; two of his band members, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amrit Prabha Mahanta; his cousin and Assam Police official Sandipan Garg; and his Personal Security Officers (PSOs), Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya.

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Briefing the press following the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Sarma stated that the government would formally move the High Court under Section 346(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. "The Cabinet has approved the formation of a dedicated court for the day-to-day trial of the case. We will place a request before the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court. Thereafter, the Chief Justice will take a decision on the constitution of the court and the proceedings," Sarma said.

The Chief Minister revealed that the government's initial inclination was to allow the trial to continue in the existing sessions court in Guwahati, particularly since none of the accused have been granted bail thus far. "It is worth mentioning that since none of the accused have been granted bail by the present court, it was the government’s impression that justice would have been served if the trial had continued in the same court," he explained.

However, the cabinet opted to alter its course out of deference to the wishes of Garg’s family. The move was prompted by public expressions of frustration from the singer’s wife, Garrima Saikia Garg and his sister, Palme Borthakur, just last week regarding the slow pace of proceedings at the trial court.

"But since we had earlier announced that our decisions will be based on what Garg’s family wants. As they have expressed publicly that they want the trial to be fast paced, the cabinet decided to hand over the trial to an exclusive court and approach the HC with that request," Sarma added, underscoring the government's commitment to respecting the family's sentiments.

Highlighting the sensitive nature of the case, the Chief Minister noted its deep emotional and social significance for the people of Assam. "This case has emotional and social significance. The family members of Zubeen Garg have publicly sought a fast-track trial. Respecting their demand, the Cabinet has decided to move forward with this proposal," he stated.

According to the approved plan, the Gauhati High Court will be responsible for appointing a judge and issuing necessary guidelines for the special court's functioning. The state government has assured that it will provide all requisite logistical and infrastructural support to ensure the proceedings run smoothly.