Singapore-Based Rupkamal Kalita Joins Probe into Zubeen Garg’s Death, Others Fail to Respond

Rupkamal Kalita, a Singapore-based Non-Resident Indian (NRI) originally from Assam, arrived at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters in Guwahati on Tuesday to assist in the investigation into the death of Assamese music legend Zubeen Garg.

Kalita, who was present on the yacht when Garg died, joined the probe a day after the CID’s October 6 deadline for summoned individuals expired.

The CID had initially summoned eight Singapore-based NRIs through the Indian High Commission, later extending the summons to three additional individuals who were also on the yacht. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that Kalita is the only one to have complied so far, with the remaining ten yet to respond.

Garg, aged 52, drowned while swimming in the sea during a yacht party in Singapore on September 19, 2025. He was in the city to attend the North East India Festival, scheduled to begin on September 20, which was cancelled following his death. The singer was found floating face down in the water, prompting a high-profile investigation.

Weeks after the incident, Garg’s manager, Siddhartha Sharma, and Shyamkanu Mahanta, the chief organiser of the North East India Festival, were arrested on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy, and causing death by negligence. Mahanta was detained at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi upon his return from Singapore, while Sharma was apprehended in Gurugram.

In a significant development, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, a bandmate of Garg, alleged that Sharma and Mahanta may have poisoned the singer and orchestrated a cover-up to portray his death as accidental. The investigation also uncovered a suspicious Rs. 1 crore transaction in the bank accounts of Garg’s two personal security officers, raising further questions.

Last week, thousands gathered in Jorhat, Assam—where Garg’s musical journey began—for his Adya Sharaddha, a ritual held 13 days after a person’s death. The state government ensured robust arrangements for crowd safety. Initially, authorities planned to distribute Garg’s ashes to fans, but sources now indicate that the government is working with his family to immerse the ashes in the Brahmaputra River.

The ongoing probe continues to draw intense public and media scrutiny as authorities seek to uncover the circumstances surrounding the beloved singer’s tragic death.