Zubeen Garg: Co-singer Amritprabha Mahanta appears before fast-track court after bail
Guwahati: Singer Amritprabha Mahanta, one of the accused in the death case of Assam’s music icon Zubeen Garg, appeared before a fast-track court here on Wednesday, a day after being released from Haflong sub-jail following the Gauhati High Court’s grant of bail.
Mahanta was directed to appear before the court after her release on Tuesday.
Her appearance comes as proceedings continue in the high-profile case surrounding the death of the celebrated singer, which has triggered widespread public concern and demands for justice in Assam.
The Gauhati High Court granted Mahanta bail on October 9. Special Public Prosecutor Ziaul Kamar had told reporters that the bail was granted by Justice Pranjal Das against a bond of Rs 50,000 and two sureties of the same amount.
The court had heard arguments on the bail petition over several days before reserving its order.
Mahanta’s release is significant as she is the first accused to have secured bail in the main case relating to Garg’s death.
She had been lodged at Haflong sub-jail along with Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, another accused and a former bandmate of the singer.
Zubeen Garg died on September 19, 2025, while swimming in the sea off Lazarus Island in Singapore, allegedly in an inebriated state.
He was in the country to attend the North East India Festival and was scheduled to perform at the event.
His death triggered widespread grief in Assam and demands for a thorough investigation.
Singapore’s State Coroner subsequently ruled his death an accidental drowning on March 25 this year finding no evidence of foul play or that he had been forced into the water.
However, the Assam government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam Police to investigate the case following widespread public demands and the registration of more than 60 FIRs across the state.
After an investigation that included a visit to Singapore and the examination of witnesses, the SIT filed its charge sheet in a Guwahati court in December 2025.
The charge sheet named seven accused and alleged that four were responsible for murder.
The allegations in the charge sheet represent the prosecution’s case and remain subject to judicial determination.
The seven accused are festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer’s manager Siddharth Sharma, bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, singer Amritprabha Mahanta, Assam Police officer and Garg’s cousin Sandipan Garg, and personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya.
The SIT charged Shyamkanu Mahanta, Siddharth Sharma, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amritprabha Mahanta with murder.
Sandipan Garg was charged with culpable homicide, while Bora and Baishya faced other charges relating to alleged negligence and their responsibilities as security personnel.
A special fast-track court framed charges against all seven in May this year, and they pleaded not guilty.
The investigation and subsequent court proceedings have drawn intense attention across Assam, with the singer’s fans and the public closely following developments.