Guwahati, Oct 19: Two days after the Gauhati High Court granted him bail, one of the prime accused in cultural icon Zubeen Garg’s death case was released from Baksa District Jail in Nikashi on Monday.
Sandipan Garg, a suspended Assam Police Deputy Superintendent of Police and the artiste’s cousin, called for the truth about the circumstances surrounding his brother’s death in Singapore to come to light.
“People need to know the truth about what happened in Singapore on September 19. Only the truth can free my brother Zubeen Garg’s soul,” he told reporters after his release.
Expressing faith in the judiciary, he said the court would ultimately determine the truth behind the singer’s death.
“The truth always wins, and it is the court that will decide what the truth is,” he said.
The Gauhati High Court granted bail to Sandipan on October 16. He had been in judicial custody since October 2025 and faces charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and criminal conspiracy.
Justice Rajesh Mazumdar granted the relief after hearing arguments from the defence and prosecution.
The court observed that the case against Sandipan was primarily based on documentary and digital evidence, limiting the scope for him to tamper with material already on record.
Sandipan accompanied Zubeen to Singapore in September 2025 for the fourth edition of the North East India Festival. He was also present during the yacht outing when the singer died while swimming in the sea on September 19.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested Sandipan on October 8, 2025, following which he was suspended from the police service.
His release follows that of co-accused and singer Amritprabha Mahanta, who was granted bail by the High Court on October 9.
Meanwhile, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi on Monday alleged lapses in the investigation and claimed there had been an attempt to conceal the truth about the singer’s death.
“If a proper investigation had been carried out, we would not have reached this situation. There are gaps and lapses in the investigation, and there appears to be an intention to conceal the truth,” Gogoi said after visiting Devi Doul in Sivasagar on the occasion of Durga Puja.
He also alleged that some of the accused had close ties with ministers in the Assam government and claimed that certain individuals were trying to malign the singer’s character rather than ensure justice.
“Multiple accused under the case have sweet relations with several Assam government ministers. There are certain state government individuals who are working on raising questions and assassinating Garg’s character than providing him justice,” he said.
Following the two bail orders, the SIT has announced that it will approach the Supreme Court to challenge the relief granted to Sandipan and Amritprabha.
Separately, advocate Ratul Bora of Morigaon, who filed the first FIR in connection with the singer’s death, has said he will approach the Supreme Court before November 5 to challenge the bail orders and seek to prevent the remaining accused from securing similar relief.
The seven accused in the main case are festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer’s manager Siddharth Sharma, band member Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, Amritprabha Mahanta, Sandipan Garg and personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya.
The two security personnel had earlier secured bail in a separate disproportionate assets case but remain in custody in connection with Zubeen’s death.