GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday, June 23, issued notice to the Assam government on a bail plea filed by Shyamkanu Mahanta, an accused in a case linked to the death of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, and scheduled the matter for hearing at the end of July.
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A Bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Joymalya Bagchi sought the State’s response after hearing submissions by Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Mahanta.
During the hearing, Mahanta’s counsel argued that there was no likelihood of the petitioner absconding and informed the Court that his passport had already been deposited.
Mahanta, organiser of the Northeast Festival since 2013, has been in judicial custody since October 1, 2025. His plea challenges the May 29 order of the Gauhati High Court rejecting his bail application.
The case relates to the death of singer Zubeen Garg, who drowned while swimming during a trip to Singapore on September 19, 2025. Following the incident, multiple FIRs were registered in India alleging offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including criminal conspiracy, murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, destruction of evidence, extortion, cheating and criminal breach of trust.
Separately, Mahanta has approached the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the investigation to an independent agency and consolidation of FIRs, alleging coordinated criminal proceedings against him across multiple states.
