Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday announced that lookout notices have been issued against North East India Festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta and singer Zubeen Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma in connection with the late artist’s death. Speaking during a Facebook Live session, Sarma said both Mahanta and Sharma must appear in Guwahati on October 6 to record their statements. He added that while he does not want them to travel during the Durga Puja festivities, they are expected to cooperate immediately after Dashami.
“They must present their statements on October 6. If they do not wish to appear before the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB), they may approach the court. But if they fail to turn up, police will intensify efforts to track them down,” Sarma said, as per reports.
The chief minister further revealed that Mahanta’s bank accounts and credit cards have been frozen to prevent him from evading authorities. He confirmed that while Garg’s autopsy report from Singapore is still awaited, a second post-mortem conducted at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital is ready.
Sarma also stated that he has apprised Union Home Minister Amit Shah of the matter, assuring that the case will be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) if it appears that the Assam Police cannot deliver justice in the probe.
CM Appeals For Restraint
Appealing for restraint, the chief minister urged the public not to exploit Garg’s name for political gain. He urged not to engage in anti-government politics using Zubeen’s name. He said that he does not want Assam to turn into Nepal, which recently witnessed nationwide unrest.
Zubeen Garg, one of Assam’s most popular cultural icons, died on September 19 while swimming without protective gear in the sea off Singapore, where he had travelled to attend the North East India Festival.
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