Zubeen Garg death case: Singer's former manager appears before SIT

Guwahati, Nov 7 (IANS) Nearly 50 days after the sudden demise of singer Zubeen Garg, his former longtime manager, Tarsame Mittal, appeared before the CID in Guwahati on Friday to record his statement.

Mittal was summoned as part of the ongoing probe into the circumstances surrounding the artiste's death, in which the state-government-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been interrogating several individuals connected to Garg's professional circle.

These questioning sessions were reportedly examining potential financial and managerial irregularities that came to light after Garg's demise.

Mittal, who had managed Garg's professional affairs for a long period, was replaced by Siddharth Sharma, who is currently in judicial custody.

Significantly, investigators say Sharma entered Garg's management fold through a recommendation from Mittal, and that the two shared a close professional relationship - a connection that may yield key insights into the financial dealings under investigation.

On September 19, Garg died in Singapore while on a visit as brand ambassador for the North East India Festival.

The Singapore death certificate lists "drowning" as the cause of death.

On September 25, the Assam government formed an SIT to probe the case. Most recently, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared that Garg's death would be treated as a murder case, rather than a misadventure.

He set a deadline of December 8 for the SIT to submit its charge sheet and said that because the incident happened on foreign soil, approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is required before charges can be formally filed.

At this stage, the investigation encompasses both the events leading up to the singer's death and alleged irregularities in his financial and managerial domain.

Mittal's deposition is seen as a key piece in the puzzle, given his prior role and connection to the incoming manager.

The SIT's work aims to uncover whether negligence, criminal conspiracy, or other serious lapses played a role in this tragic case - and deliver accountability for what the Chief Minister has described as a homicide.

--IANS

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