Chargesheet to reveal how Zubeen was “made to drink and looted": Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on November 19, made serious allegations regarding the circumstances surrounding late singer Zubeen Garg’s struggles in the years before his death, claiming that certain individuals deliberately intoxicated him to exploit his wealth. 

Speaking to reporters in Nalbari, the Chief Minister said, "Zubeen Garg was made to drink alcohol in order to loot his wealth. Some people fed him alcohol and exploited him. Many explosive details have come to light in the investigation."

Elaborating on the findings, the Chief Minister added that Zubeen had not been an alcohol consumer by choice but was allegedly manipulated by people close to him. 

"As far as I know, Zubeen did not drink alcohol himself… in order to loot his wealth… when he went to sing, he was made to drink. A Bihu committee gave him Rs 5 lakh for the show, and Zubeen was told he was given Rs 2.5 lakh. He was intoxicated and believed the same, and that’s how a certain group indulged him in alcohol and looted him," Sarma said.

Also Read: "Have you seen Zubeen’s photo in Miya Mosque?”: Himanta questions 'fake' sympathy for artist posthumously

CM Sarma claimed that Zubeen would often meet him in the mornings and was always sober during those interactions. "The number of times Zubeen came to me in the morning, he was never drunk. The things he said in the evening were only because he was made to drink, and the same has come up in his death investigation — that Zubeen was made to drink and not that he drank himself," the Chief Minister stated.

Urging the public not to associate the singer’s legacy with alcoholism, Sarma said, "Hence, I would request the public not to associate Zubeen with alcohol. In the chargesheet, the public will come to know more about it. In my life, I have met Zubeen over 50 times; he was never drunk."

The Chief Minister’s remarks come amid ongoing investigations into the circumstances leading to the sudden demise of the iconic singer, whose contributions to Assamese music and culture continue to resonate strongly across the state. Officials have indicated that more details are likely to emerge once the chargesheet is filed.