Zubeen Garg death case: Guwahati fast-track court to hear Shyamkanu Mahanta's bail plea today

A fast-track sessions court in Guwahati is scheduled to hear the bail plea of Shyamkanu Mahanta on Wednesday, April 22 in connection with a case linked to the death of Assam's music icon Zubeen Garg.

Mahanta, one of the accused in the case, has filed a fresh bail application after withdrawing his earlier plea, indicating a revised legal strategy ahead of the hearing. Senior advocate Pran Bora is expected to represent him during the proceedings.

In a related development, the bail plea of co-accused Siddharth Sharma will not be taken up on Wednesday after the court flagged discrepancies in his petition. Presiding judge Sharmila Bhuyan, who has been conducting daily hearings in the matter, granted Sharma’s counsel 24 hours to submit a revised application.

Mahanta had moved his latest bail petition on April 10, a day after polling concluded for the Assam Assembly elections. Meanwhile, the Gauhati High Court has authorised the fast-track court to decide whether Mahabir Aqua, a firm owned by Sharma, should be permitted to resume operations.

During the hearings, the prosecution placed on record a series of financial allegations against Sharma, including claims of misappropriation of several crores allegedly linked to Garg. The court was informed that funds were diverted under multiple pretexts, including expenses related to the construction of Garg’s residence in Kharguli.

In one instance cited during proceedings, Sharma allegedly claimed that ₹70 lakh had been paid to a contractor, whereas only ₹35 lakh was actually disbursed. Additional allegations suggest that portions of the diverted funds were used for personal expenditures, including financial support for his partner and the purchase of high-value items such as a scooter and a gold ring. Monthly systematic investment plan (SIP) contributions of ₹30,000 were also cited.