SIT questions Zubeen Garg drummer; homes searched

GUWAHATI: An Assam police SIT investigating the death of singer Zubeen Garg questioned his drummer in Guwahati and searched several homes Thursday, as chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recapped his warning from six years ago that the music icon had long been exploited by those around him.”I have been saying that Zubeen is an asset, but a certain section of people tried to use him for their personal gain. In simple words, I saw them exploiting him. I had personally told Zubeen this. This is the same group the public is questioning today. I had raised concerns six years ago,” Sarma said.Garg, 52, drowned while swimming in Singapore on Sept 19. Authorities there issued a death certificate citing drowning, but a nine-member SIT was formed after a wave of 55 FIRs and mounting public outrage.Police said FIRs have been filed against four men: North East India Festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, who invited Garg to Singapore; his manager Siddharth Sarma, attached to a Mumbai-based talent management firm; drummer Shekharjyoti Goswami; and businessman Sanjive Narain.SIT head and special DGP (CID) MP Gupta said Goswami, who was present when Garg drowned, was questioned at his Guwahati residence. Searches were carried out at the houses of Mahanta and Siddharth, though both were unavailable. A crowd gathered outside Siddharth’s apartment and some threw stones at police vehicles.On Sept 20, the singer’s wife Garima Saikia Garg had pleaded for withdrawal of all FIRs against Siddharth. “Please allow Siddharth to be part of Zubeen’s final journey. I request everyone to set aside negative thoughts about him. I will need his support – without him, I cannot do anything,” she said. She credited him with caring for Garg during his 2020 epileptic seizure and the Covid lockdown, even bringing him from Mumbai by bus for treatment. He said Mahanta and Siddharth were not in Guwahati, urged for calm and warned against mob justice. “If someone wants instant justice, we will face defeat before court. Emotion will not work. Anyone with leads may contact CID. If SIT cannot unearth all facts, we will hand it to CBI,” he said. Sarma said the state has barred Mahanta and associated groups from holding events, besides urging Centre to cut financial support.