"Innocent people behind bars": Anita Deka defends husband Shyamkanu Mahanta in Zubeen Garg death case

Anita Deka Mahanta on Wednesday, April 22, defended her husband, Shyamkanu Mahanta, asserting that he had no involvement in the case linked to the death of Assamese music icon Zubeen Garg, and said the family is also seeking justice.

Speaking to media amid ongoing legal proceedings, Anita said the bail hearing of Mahanta was underway in a fast-track sessions court in Guwahati and expressed hope for relief. She alleged that her husband had been “wrongly incarcerated” for the past seven months. “Innocent people have been put behind bars. He has been in jail for no fault of his,” she said, adding that Mahanta’s efforts had been focused on promoting Assam and the cultural heritage of the Northeast on global platforms.

Referring to Garg, she said the singer would have been “deeply hurt” by the developments. “A person who shared his vision and worked closely with him is now behind bars. I pray that we also get justice,” she said.

Rejecting allegations of negligence, Anita questioned the basis of the accusations. “How can this be termed negligence? Is taking someone to perform on a global stage negligence?” she asked.

She also disputed claims that Garg had indicated distress or coercion related to travel plans before his death. “When did he say that? Who heard it, and is there any proof?” she said. Responding to reports suggesting such statements were on record, Anita maintained that Garg was an independent individual. “No one could force him to act against his will. He always did what he believed in,” she said, adding that the singer had supported cultural initiatives of the Northeast for over a decade.

Clarifying the circumstances surrounding the Singapore visit, she said Garg had travelled to represent the Northeast and not for any individual. She added that he was staying at a reputed hotel with medical facilities nearby and that there was no confirmed plan for him to attend any private event. Anita also stated that Mahanta was around 50 kilometres away attending a meeting at the time and that neither of them had prior knowledge of any such engagement.

Meanwhile, the fast-track sessions court in Guwahati, presided over by Judge Sharmila Bhuyan, continued hearing Mahanta’s bail plea at the time of filing this report. Senior advocate Pran Bora is expected to represent him.

The bail application of co-accused Siddharth Sharma was not taken up after the court noted discrepancies in the petition. The court granted 24 hours to submit a revised application.

Mahanta had earlier withdrawn his previous bail plea, signalling a revised legal approach. He filed the current application on April 10, a day after polling concluded for the Assam Assembly elections.