4 accused in singer Zubeen Garg's death case file bail pleas

Guwahati, Jan 3 (PTI) Four accused in singer Zubeen Garg's death case filed bail petitions before the court on Saturday.

The Kamrup (Metro) District and Sessions Court, which is hearing the case, fixed January 17 as the next date of hearing when the bail objection by the public prosecutor will be filed.

The bail pleas were moved by Garg's band member Amritprava Mahanta, his cousin Sandipan Garg, a police officer, and his two personal security officers (PSOs), Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya.

The singer-composer-actor had died on September 19 while swimming in the sea in Singapore, where he had gone to attend the Northeast Festival.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the CID, which is probing the case, has charged festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer's secretary Siddhartha Sharma and his two band members, Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava, with murder, and his cousin, who was accompanying him, with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The two PSOs were charged with criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust by misappropriation of funds or property entrusted to them.

Guwahati Bar Association's general secretary Apurba Kumar Sharma said Mahanta's lawyer moved her bail petition, while the lawyers appointed by the District Legal Services Authority filed the pleas on behalf of Garg's cousin and the two PSOs.

"The government lawyer Bhupendra Bhattacharya strongly opposed the pleas and said that he will file an objection," Sharma added.

He said the festival organiser's team of lawyers from Kolkata appeared physically in the court but did not submit any bail plea.

"Siddhartha Sharma's advocate appeared virtually before the court and sought time for hearing on framing of charges as the charge sheet is a voluminous one," he added.

The charge sheet runs to 2,500 pages, while documentary evidence submitted to the court, both in material and digital formats, is over 12,000 pages, according to the CID.

It was not known whether Goswami, the other band member, had hired any lawyer or was represented by the DLSA-appointed advocate.

Garg's wife, Garima, who was present at the hearing, urged the government to expedite the appointment of a special public prosecutor.

"The accused have built a strong legal team, as we can see. We also have to form our own strong team. The chief minister has said that a special prosecution team will be formed, and I request him to do so at the earliest," she said.

She said senior lawyers with expertise on the matter and who enjoy the confidence of the people should be appointed.

Garima also requested fast-tracking the trial process, as there are nearly 400 witnesses in the case, and it "would take decades for progress to be made in routine hearings".

"We have faith in our legal system, and we will fight for justice for Zubeen within its ambit," she said.

The first hearing of the case after the SIT submitted the charge sheet was held on December 16 at the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court.

The CJM, thereafter, committed the case to the sessions court for trial to begin. There, it commenced on December 22.

In all three hearings so far, the accused have appeared virtually before the court, as the police cited law and order issues if they were produced physically. PTI SSG SSG SOM