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Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that a judicial panel would be formed to probe Zubeen’s death in Singapore.
Zubeen Garg passed away on September 19. (File image/Instagram)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has warned against spreading AI-generated images with the intention of misleading the public in connection with the death of renowned singer Zubeen Garg, saying that such actions could invite strict legal action.
Zubeen Garg passed away on September 19 in Singapore. Assam police have arrested his manager, Siddharth Sharma, and festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, along with two others, on suspicion of foul play. The CM’s warning came after an image went viral on social media showing Mahanta and Sharma smiling, despite being arrested.
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“Some people have been seen spreading misinformation and abusing Zubeen Garg’s sudden death for political gain. Some people are trying to disturb Assam with photoshop edited photos to defame the Assam government. These guys are definitely not true fans of Zubeen Garg, they are somewhat criminals,” Himanta Sarma said in a post on Facebook.
His remarks came after the Assam Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has warned that strict legal action would be taken against individuals circulating fake news or AI-generated images of Mahanta or Sharma on social media channels.
“Assam police is strictly monitoring the social media platforms. If anyone is found spreading “fake AI generated pics or fake news” strict legal action will be initiated against them,” it said on X.
Mahanta and Sharma were arrested in Delhi on Wednesday and brought to Guwahati. They were sent to 14-day custody under the CID.
Zubeen Garg Death Probe
On Friday, CM Himanta Sarma announced that a judicial panel would be formed to probe Zubeen’s death in Singapore, which will be headed by Justice Soumitra Saikia of the Gauhati High Court. He urged people to come forward with any information and videos that may be connected with the singer’s death.
Zubeen Garg, who was in Singapore for the 60th year of the India-Singapore Diplomatic Relations and to celebrate India ASEAN Year of Tourism, passed away on September 19. His autopsy report revealed that he died due to drowning while swimming off a Singapore island and not while scuba diving.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (I-T) Department are likely to join the Assam Police in investigating alleged organised financial crimes and acquisition of benami properties by event manager Shyamkanu Mahanta.
Assam CID is currently probing the case of Garg’s death after more than 60 FIRs have been lodged across the state against Mahanta, the chief organiser of the Northeast India Festival, where the singer had gone to perform, and almost 10 others.
Meanwhile, a court in Assam on Friday sent Garg’s band members Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprabha Mahanta to 14 days of police remand in connection with Zubeen’s death. They were reportedly present on the yacht when the singer died.
Meanwhile, Mahanta has approached the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the investigation from Assam Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) to a Central agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Mahanta alleged that there have been “serious threats to his life and personal liberty due to public and media outrage.”
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
Guwahati [Gauhati], India, India
October 04, 2025, 10:44 IST
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