TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains mention of death.Days after the demise of singer Zubeen Garg, his long-time manager Siddhartha Sharma has broken his silence on his death. Siddhartha Sharma issued a heartfelt statement to clarify widespread speculations surrounding the late artist’s music ownership and financial matters. His response comes just a day after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) raided his residence in Guwahati’s Datalpara area as part of their ongoing investigation into Garg’s sudden demise. Sharma’s statement seeks to protect the singer’s legacy while appealing to fans to refrain from spreading misinformation.
Song ownership and finances
As reported by News 18, in the open letter, Siddhartha Sharma revealed that contrary to public perception, most of Zubeen Garg’s vast catalogue spanning 38,000 songs is contractually owned by music companies and production houses.
“Almost all of Zubeen da’s songs, even the biggest blockbusters, were done before I entered his life. He often lamented how producers and labels earned crores while he received only modest payments,” Sharma explained. To secure his creative rights later in life, Garg established Zubeen Garg Music LLP in 2021, in which Sharma was also a partner. The manager clarified that the firm had generated only modest earnings, all of which remain untouched in company accounts. With Garg owning 60% of the stake, Sharma assured that his family, especially his widow Garima Garg, will inherit this share. He further said that royalties earned directly as a composer and lyricist were always deposited into Zubeen Garg’s personal account, now transferred to Garima.
Appeal for Dignity and Truth
Addressing allegations of financial exploitation, Siddhartha Sharma dismissed them as “baseless and deeply hurtful.” He stressed his full cooperation with the SIT investigation and reiterated his commitment to ensuring transparency. “This is a request from one human being to another. Let the investigation proceed without fear or prejudice. We owe it to Zubeen da’s memory to pursue truth with dignity,” Siddhartha Sharma said. His words come as fans continue to mourn the irreplaceable voice of Assam,Zubeen Garg, who passed away on September 19 in Singapore while preparing to perform at the North East Festival. Despite efforts by doctors after he was rescued from the sea, the singer could not be saved. Zubeen Garg will be remembered through his memorable contributions to the music industry.
