Zubeen Garg Death Probe: Poisoning Allegations, Judicial Inquiry

Guwahati, October 4: The grief over Zubeen Garg’s death has slowly turned into something heavier confusion, suspicion, and a rising anger that refuses to settle. Two weeks after the beloved singer was found dead in a Dibrugarh hotel, what looked like a medical tragedy now sits tangled in allegations of poisoning, police lapses, and cover-ups.

The state government has announced a judicial inquiry, a second autopsy report has been quietly handed to his wife, and a bandmate’s explosive claims have shaken the case open. Assam, still reeling from the loss of its biggest cultural voice, is watching its investigation unfold like a slow-motion thriller.

A Sudden End That Raised Too Many Questions

The evening of September 20 was supposed to be routine. Zubeen had travelled to Dibrugarh for a cultural event, something he’d done countless times. But sometime that night, he was found unresponsive in his hotel room, rushed to Assam Medical College Hospital, and declared dead soon after.

Initial whispers spoke of heart failure, then “natural causes.” For a day or two, people tried to make peace with that explanation. But in Assam, Zubeen wasn’t just another celebrity he was everybody’s own. And so, when inconsistencies surfaced in the first post-mortem report, the questions began to multiply.

The government ordered a second autopsy, conducted at Gauhati Medical College Hospital, under the watch of senior doctors and forensic experts. That report, according to police sources, was meant to clear the air. Instead, it made things murkier.

A Wife Who Won’t Take the Report Yet

On Friday, the Assam CID handed over the new post-mortem report to Garima Saikia Garg, Zubeen’s wife. She didn’t accept it.

Garima told reporters that she didn’t want the report to be made public until the investigation ran its course that revealing it now might “compromise the case.” Her refusal has sparked debate across Assam. Was it caution or concern? Was she being careful, or was she protecting someone?

For now, she’s asking for patience and justice, not noise. “Let the truth come out properly,” she told a local news channel. But the silence around the report has only deepened the unease among fans who feel shut out of the truth.

The Poisoning Allegation That Changed Everything

Then came the shocker.

Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, a close bandmate of Zubeen’s, told police and the media that he believed the singer was poisoned, allegedly by his manager, Siddharth Sharma, and an event organiser. Goswami claimed there were tensions around finances and management before the Dibrugarh event, and that Zubeen’s death “was not accidental.”

That statement flipped the story on its head. Police added murder and criminal conspiracy charges to the case. Siddharth Sharma, summoned by the CID multiple times, has denied any wrongdoing. “People are saying wild things out of grief,” he said, visibly shaken outside the CID office.

Whether this was grief talking or a genuine lead, investigators aren’t saying yet. But the forensic results from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Kolkata, now awaited, may decide which story survives.

SIT Steps In As Pressure Mounts

By now, public outrage had spilled onto the streets. Candlelight marches, protest songs, and social media campaigns demanded “Justice for Zubeen.” Under pressure, the Assam Police formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to take full control of the case.

As The Shillong Times reported, the SIT has already recorded the statements of Garima Saikia Garg and Zubeen’s sister. Officers are probing his personal relationships, professional contracts, and the events of that night in Dibrugarh in meticulous detail.

A senior investigator said the team was “not ruling out anything medical, criminal, or circumstantial.”

The State Steps In: Judicial Inquiry Announced

Late Friday night, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma went on record: the government would form a judicial commission of inquiry, headed by a retired High Court judge. The panel will operate independently of the police, with powers to summon witnesses, cross-examine medical experts, and review financial records.

“The people of Assam have lost an icon. They deserve full transparency,” the Chief Minister said.

But this announcement, too, has drawn mixed reactions. For many, it’s a reassurance that the state isn’t brushing the matter aside. For others, it feels like a political safety net a way to buy time while emotions cool.

Opposition parties aren’t holding back. The Congress and regional outfits have accused the BJP-led government of “mishandling” the case, and have even demanded an NIA investigation. “We cannot trust the same machinery that failed to protect him,” one Congress leader said at a rally in Dibrugarh.

When Mourning Turns Dangerous

The public mood in Assam is volatile. On Thursday, in a disturbing incident reported by The Economic Times, a man was beaten to death in Guwahati after an argument over a Zubeen Garg song during Dashami celebrations. Police have detained six people.

The story shocked the state. It wasn’t about the song. It was about how grief, pride, and anger have fused into something combustible.

A Life Too Large To Fade Quietly

It’s hard to explain to outsiders what Zubeen Garg meant to Assam. He wasn’t just a singer; he was the state’s emotional register. His voice carried protests, love songs, anthems, and heartbreaks with the same raw energy.

He recorded in Assamese, Hindi, Bengali, Nepali, and more. His Bollywood hit “Ya Ali” made him a national name, but he always came back home. He sang for causes for the environment, for the language, and for dignity.

And that’s why his death feels like something was stolen, not just lost.

The Road Ahead: Between Hope and Fatigue

The next few weeks will be crucial. Forensic findings from Kolkata could confirm or dismiss the poisoning theory. The SIT will continue to trace digital evidence and cross-check financial transactions. The judicial commission will soon set its terms of reference.

But on the ground, people are tired. They want an answer, any answer that feels honest.

Garima Saikia Garg, in one of her few public comments, said quietly: “He gave everything to his people. All we ask for is truth.”

It’s a simple wish, but in a case like this, the truth is rarely simple. Assam waits, caught between the sound of his songs and the noise of its own suspicions.

Stay ahead with Hindustan Herald — bringing you trusted news, sharp analysis, and stories that matter across Politics, Business, Technology, Sports, Entertainment, Lifestyle, and more.
Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube, and join our Telegram community @hindustanherald for real-time updates.