Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi on December 12 cast strong doubts on the credibility of the chargesheet filed in connection with the death of celebrated Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, alleging that the investigation was driven by political considerations rather than an objective pursuit of justice.
Gogoi accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of shaping a narrative over the past 84 days to serve electoral interests, claiming the chargesheet submitted by the Assam CID “fails to establish Zubeen Garg’s death as murder,” despite widespread public demands for transparency.
Highlighting what he described as serious procedural lapses, Gogoi questioned how investigators could prepare a chargesheet for an incident that occurred in Singapore without travelling there. He argued that the probe was conducted entirely from the CID office in Assam, saying, “This is not a chargesheet; it is the Chief Minister’s election manifesto.”
The MLA alleged that the government rushed the filing to ensure BJP workers could move freely in villages during the upcoming elections, asserting that the motive mirrored political strategies seen during the anti-CAA movement. He further pointed to the Madras High Court verdict in the Jayalalithaa case, stressing that investigations into incidents outside India must follow international protocols — a standard he said was ignored.
Gogoi dismissed claims that officials examined thousands of documents and statements, arguing that such material was “meaningless” without verification at the location where Garg reportedly drowned. He criticised what he called the government’s failure to establish either how the alleged murder occurred or the chain of events behind the singer’s death.
The MLA also challenged the Chief Minister’s assertion that the matter now lies with the court, arguing that justice cannot be achieved when the investigation itself is fundamentally flawed. He concluded that the chargesheet, rather than ensuring accountability, offered “a chance for the guilty to escape” and was strategically timed for political gain ahead of the elections.
