GUWAHATI: Amritprava Mahanta, one of the seven accused in the Zubeen Garg murder case, was released from a jail in Haflong on Tuesday, October 13, after spending 369 days in judicial custody as an undertrial.
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The Gauhati High Court granted her bail on October 9, observing that the materials available on record did not make out a prima facie case against her in the murder conspiracy case.
Mahanta, a co-singer of late Zubeen Garg, was arrested by Assam Police on October 3, 2025.
In its 40-page order, the high court observed that there was an “absence of any real implications revealed from the statements of witnesses examined by police during investigation…”
“The findings of the charge-sheet not receiving support from investigation materials,” the operative part of the order stated.
124 prosecution witnesses (PWs) have been examined during the hearing.
Out of these witnesses, the court order stated that 118 PWs have not made any statements regarding Mahanta that – she had any role in the victim going to Singapore; she had any role in making any room change arrangements; she had any role in organizing Page the yacht trip; she had any role in the victim going to the sea to swim; she had any role in the victim going to swim the second time, without life jacket.
The court also did not find criminal antecedents against Mahanta.
Considering the materials available on record, the high court observed that “it would be a travesty of justice” to deny her bail at this stage, particularly when “she has already undergone undertrial detention for almost a year now.”
The court also acknowledged the importance of society's sense of justice but emphasised that courts must primarily focus on legal justice.
“Nevertheless, the courts of law have to primarily focus on ‘legal justice’. In other words, the courts have no option but to go by the finding that is derived from the materials and evidence on record,” the order stated.
The court accordingly granted Mahanta bail on a bond of ₹50,000, with two sureties of the same amount each, to the satisfaction of the trial court.
The bail order imposed several conditions. Mahanta must cooperate with the remaining trial; shall not hamper or tamper with evidence; shall not try to influence any witnesses; shall not inflict any self-harm; shall take precautions for her own safety; will not go abroad without taking permission of the trial court.
The court stated that any violation of the bail conditions could lead to the cancellation of her bail.
The central allegation against Mahanta was that she administered alcohol to Zubeen Garg despite medical advice against his consumption of alcohol. According to the prosecution's case, her role in the conspiracy was to ensure that Garg consumed sufficient alcohol, knowing that he had been advised to avoid it.
But the court observed that there was no evidence whatsoever to show that “the petitioner administered alcohol to the victim.”
The court also noted that no witness had stated that the petitioner had given Garg alcohol or participated in a conspiracy to kill him.
“Upon perusing the statements of about 250 witnesses recorded by the investigation, the Court finds that none of the witnesses have stated about A-4 (Amritparava Mahanta) feeding, serving, pouring, administering, procuring, offering, or forcing alcohol upon the victim Zubeen Garg,” the order stated.
“More specifically, out of the witnesses whose statements were recorded before learned Judicial Magistrates during investigation, no witness has stated that A-4 (she) fed alcohol to the victim,” the order further stated.
Zubeen Garg, the singer and cultural icon, died in Singapore on September 19, 2025, where he had travelled to attend a festival.
The other six accused in the murder case remain in judicial custody.
