Prime accused Siddharth Sharma files bail plea in Zubeen Garg case

Siddhartha Sharma, one of the prime accused in the Zubeen Garg case, filed a bail application on May 26, amid ongoing legal proceedings in the matter.

The development comes after a Special Fast Track Court in Assam framed charges under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including murder, culpable homicide, criminal conspiracy, extortion and cheating, against the accused persons in the case.

The order was pronounced by the Special Fast Track Court presided over by Judge Sharmila Bhuyan.

The case, titled State vs Siddhartha Sharma and six others, includes charges under Sections 3(6), 3(7), 3(8), 61(2), 103(1), 105, 238, 308(2), 318(4), and 316(5) of the BNS.

Apart from Siddhartha Sharma, the accused persons in the case are Shyam Kanu Mahanta, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, Amrit Prava Mahanta, Sandipon Garg, Nandeswar Borah and Paresh Baishya.

According to court records, the charges include criminal conspiracy, murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, extortion, cheating, criminal breach of trust and causing disappearance of evidence.

The chargesheet invokes varying sections of the BNS depending on the alleged role of each accused person in the case.

The matter will now proceed to trial before the Special Fast Track Court.

Meanwhile, speaking in the Assam Assembly on May 26 Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accused sections of the opposition of attempting to use Zubeen Garg politically during the elections. Referring to the controversy around the terms “Mayabini” and “Dayabini”, Sarma described the singer as “an asset of the Assamese people” and alleged that some political groups which had criticised him earlier later tried to use his legacy for political gain.