Two Personal Security Officers Arrested in Zubeen Garg Death Investigation
Two personal security officers (PSOs) assigned to protect popular Assamese singer Zubeen Garg have been arrested in connection with his death in Singapore last month. The arrests bring the total number of people detained in the case to seven. Assam Police suspended the officers after questioning revealed suspicious financial transactions amounting to lakhs of rupees through their bank accounts. Garg, a cultural icon in Assam, died on September 19 while participating in a festival in Singapore.
Unpacked:
The official cause of Zubeen Garg’s death, as listed on his Singapore hospital death certificate, was drowning. Singapore police reported that he was found unconscious and later died in hospital, with authorities ruling out foul play initially.
Others arrested or investigated include Zubeen Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma, event organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta, bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, co-singer Amritprava Mahanta, and his cousin, suspended APS officer Sandipan Garg. Additionally, several Non-Resident Indians linked to the festival have been summoned for questioning.
Suspicion arose after investigators discovered suspicious financial transactions exceeding Rs 1 crore through the personal security officers’ bank accounts. This irregularity, along with broader criminal inquiries, led to their arrest and suspension from duty.
There have been allegations and suspicions of poisoning, especially given the suddenness of Garg’s death and his high public profile, but as of now, these charges remain unsubstantiated and no definitive evidence has been made public.