Guwahati: The deadline for eight Singapore-based Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) summoned by Assam's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to join the investigation into the death of celebrated Assamese icon Zubeen Garg expired on Monday evening, with none of the individuals appearing before investigators in Guwahati.
All eight had been served summons through the Indian High Commission in Singapore, and were asked to report by October 6. The CID had hoped their statements would shed light on events surrounding Garg's sudden death during a yacht party off Singapore's coast on September 19.
Although none of the eight had reported to investigators, one of them, identified as Rupkamal Kalita, is expected to arrive in Guwahati on Tuesday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
The Chief Minister confirmed that the state government has sought cooperation from Singaporean authorities under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), which enables the exchange of evidence between the two countries.
"The investigation team need not go to Singapore. We have a mutual legal assistance treaty, and it has been invoked," Sarma said. "Whatever evidence Singapore Police collect will be shared with us as per the treaty. We have already sent our request and are waiting for their assistance."
Sarma said that while the CID will continue to maintain pressure on those summoned, the process would rely heavily on Singapore's cooperation. "We will motivate them to cooperate with us. We believe that if one comes, the others will also follow," he said.
The Chief Minister added that several family members of those summoned had cited constraints, saying Singapore police were not allowing them to leave the country, or that their employers had warned of possible job risks if they travelled to India for questioning.
The CID has issued summons to eight of the eleven people who were on board the yacht with Garg at the time of the incident. Four individuals have already been arrested in connection with the case, including Garg's manager Siddhartha Sharma, musician Shekharjyoti Goswami, singer Amritprava Mahanta, and Northeast India Festival (NEIF) organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta.
Officials have described the case as "complex and transnational," with the investigation expanding to examine potential financial irregularities linked to the NEIF, an annual cultural event held in Singapore to promote northeastern India.
Sarma confirmed that the state government has requested central agencies - the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (IT) department - to examine financial dealings related to the festival and its organiser, Mahanta.
"We have already requested ED and IT to conduct their probe on the financial aspects of the Northeast India Festival," Sarma said. "We rejected all their proposals this year. The last time I personally attended one of their programmes was in 2015."
He clarified that the Assam government had released "very little" funding to the festival and claimed that Mahanta had raised most of his money from other northeastern states.
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