New details emerge in Zubeen Garg death case: SIT finds ₹1 crore transaction in singer's security guards' accounts
The SIT investigating the death of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg has reportedly discovered that a transaction worth ₹1 crore was made in the bank accounts of his two personal security guards. CM Sarma has urged the I-T department and the ED to look into the matter.
The ongoing probe into the death of famed Assamese singer Zubeen Garg is opening up a can of worms. New details have emerged that a financial transaction worth around ₹1 crore was made from the bank accounts of Garg's security personnel, as per the Special Investigating Team (SIT) probing the matter.
Garg died under mysterious circumstances in Singapore on September 19 while swimming in the sea. A number of people belonging to the Assamese community living there had been on a yacht trip with the singer. He was in the country to perform at the 4th edition of the North East India Festival, organised by Shyamkanu Mahanta and his company.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has revealed that the government has requested the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate to probe the financial angle of the case.
“I hope the central agencies will take cognisance of it," the CM was quoted by the Times of India as saying.
"Our entire concern now is whether the people living in Singapore will come or not. If they do not come, we will not be able to complete the inquiry. They were the main people behind the yacht trip," Sarma told reporters after meeting Garg's family on Saturday.
Development so far
Zubeen's manager Siddhartha Sharma, musician Shekharjyoti Goswami, singer Amritprava Mahanta and North East India Festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta have been arrested in connection with the singer's death.
More than 60 FIRs were filed across the state against Mahanta, Sharma and several others, following which Sarma had directed the DGP to transfer all cases to the CID and register a consolidated case for a thorough investigation.
The SIT had already issued summons to several people associated with the singer, including eight of the 11 members of the Assam Association of Singapore, who were with the singer during his last moments on the yacht, to appear before it by October 6, as per PTI.
The deadline expired on Monday, but none of the members of the association reported to the SIT, though one person, Rupkamal Kalita, has informed the CID that he would appear before it on Tuesday.