'A day that reminds us of his irreplaceable place...': Assam CM remembers Zubeen Garg on his birth anniversary

Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday remembered late singer Zubeen Garg on his birth anniversary and said the Centre has now granted the legal approval needed to move forward with the case relating to his death in Singapore.

He said it was a crucial step that would allow the state to file a chargesheet and move the case forward.

In a post on X, CM Sarma said, "Today marks the 53rd birthday of our beloved Zubeen Garg, a day that reminds us of his music, his voice, and his irreplaceable place in Assam's heart. On this very day, the Hon'ble Union Home Minister Amit Shah has granted the required sanction under Section 208 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to proceed against the accused linked to Zubeen's death in Singapore."

"Section 208 of BNSS, in simple language, says: If a crime is committed outside India, the case can be taken up by the court only after the Central Government gives prior sanction. This sanction is therefore a crucial legal step, allowing us to file charge sheet and move forward firmly and lawfully for trial of the case. We remain fully committed to file the chargesheet against the accused persons within 10th of December 25," the post read.

Zubeen Garg, born on November 18, 1972, in Tura, Meghalaya, came from an Assamese family and was closely tied to his ancestral village, Tamulichiga in Jhanji, Jorhat. Though his musical journey carried him across India and abroad, he always kept a deep emotional bond with the landscapes, culture, and vibrant spirit of Assam and the wider Northeast.

As a tribute to the late singer, his movie titled 'Roi Roi Binale' was released last month at a theatre in Guwahati. After the film got released, director Rajesh Bhuyan expressed his happiness over the response it got from the fans.

Zubeen Garg died on September 19, and the Assam government formed an SIT to investigate his death. So far, seven people, including Shyamkanu Mahanta, Siddharth Sharma (Zubeen's manager), Shekhar Jyoti Goswami (bandmate), Amritprava Mahanta (co-singer), Sandipan Garg (Zubeen's cousin), and his two PSOs, Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishy, have been arrested by the SIT/CID. The court has sent them to judicial custody. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently told the media that the SIT will submit the chargesheet before the court by December 8.