Zubeen Garg death case: Protesters seek SC challenge to bail granted to two accused, supplementary chargesheet

Protesters detained during a human chain demonstration in Guwahati’s Dispur area continued to demand justice for late singer Zubeen Garg from inside the 10th Assam Police Battalion premises at Kahilipara on Tuesday, October 20. The organisers also urged the Assam government to challenge the bail granted to two accused in the case before the Supreme Court and file a supplementary chargesheet supported by strong evidence.

The protesters raised slogans at the battalion premises, maintaining that their detention would not deter them from seeking justice for the singer, whose death has triggered widespread public concern in Assam.

Among those detained was advocate Anindita Das, who was allegedly beaten by police during the protest and sustained serious injuries. She was admitted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where she is undergoing treatment.

The human chain demonstration was organised in front of the state secretariat in Dispur at the call of Raijor Dal president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi. The organisers included Gogoi, Das, Marshall Baruah and Gyanashree Bora, among others.

The organisers submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister, outlining a series of demands concerning the investigation and legal proceedings in the Zubeen Garg death case.

The memorandum called for a thorough investigation and strict punishment for those found guilty. It also urged the government and police administration to ensure that the remaining accused in custody do not secure bail because of alleged gaps in the chargesheet or weaknesses in the prosecution's case.

The organisers said the state government must strongly oppose bail applications before courts and ensure that the prosecution presents a robust case against the accused.

Raising concerns over the chargesheet, the memorandum said alleged shortcomings in the document had attracted widespread criticism and fuelled suspicions among sections of the public about the seriousness of the investigation.

It also referred to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's statement in the Assam Assembly describing Garg's death as a planned murder. The organisers urged the government to file a supplementary chargesheet at the earliest, backed by what they described as solid evidence, to support the position taken by the Chief Minister.

The memorandum separately called for the state government to approach the Supreme Court against the bail granted by the Gauhati High Court to two accused, Amritprabha Mahanta and Sandipan Garg. Both have been released from custody following the court's order.

Describing the bail decision as a source of shock and anger among members of the public, the organisers demanded that the government pursue the strongest available legal remedies without delay.

The memorandum said the people of Assam would not accept any compromise or negligence in the pursuit of justice for Zubeen Garg and urged the Chief Minister to act on the demands with seriousness and urgency.