Guwahati, May 26 (IANS) The hearing in the case linked to death probe of iconic Assamese singer Zubeen Garg continued on Tuesday, with a Fast Track Court in Guwahati framing charges against seven accused people.

The court of Fast Track Judge Sharmila Bhuyan framed charges after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defence sides in connection with the case.

Public prosecutor Ziaur Kamar, speaking to reporters after the hearing, said the court was satisfied with the submissions made during the proceedings and subsequently decided to frame charges against all seven accused under various sections of law.

“After hearing arguments from both sides, the honourable Fast Track Court framed charges against the accused persons under various sections,” Kamar said.

He added that the framing of charges marked the formal commencement of the trial process in the case.

“The next date has been fixed on June 8, from when witness examination and recording of evidence will begin,” the government counsel stated.

According to Kamar, the court directed the prosecution to provide a list of witnesses to the accused people before the commencement of the trial.

He further informed that the prosecution intends to examine a large number of witnesses during the proceedings.

“We have been asked to submit the witness list, and the court has allowed us to produce witnesses for examination,” he said.

The advocate also indicated that once the trial begins on the scheduled date, the proceedings are expected to continue on a regular basis without unnecessary interruptions.

The case pertains to the death of Zubeen Garg, who died on September 19 last year while swimming near Lazarus Island in Singapore.

The incident occurred just a day before the singer was scheduled to perform at an event organised under the NEIF banner.

Following the incident, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Assam Police’s CID conducted an extensive probe and filed a chargesheet in December.

The chargesheet named seven accused individuals, including Mahanta.

Of them, four have been booked on charges of murder, intensifying the gravity of the case.

Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had termed the case a “plain and simple murder” during a discussion in the state Assembly, underlining the government’s stance on the matter.

Meanwhile, a parallel investigation carried out by Singapore Police reached a different conclusion, stating that there was no evidence of foul play in Garg’s death.

Despite this, authorities in Assam have maintained that the findings of the foreign probe will not influence the ongoing investigation and trial in the state.

The case continues to draw widespread public and political attention, with the upcoming bail hearing expected to be a crucial stage in the legal proceedings.

–IANS

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