When the Accused Lawyer Up and the State Lags Behind: Alarming Gaps in Zubeen Garg Case

The fight for justice in the murder of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg has kicked off in court, and it’s already turning into one of the trickiest trials Assam’s seen in a while.

At the center of it all is a question that won’t go away: will the real story come out, or will endless delays and legal red tape drain the case of any hope?

One thing’s obvious—this isn’t a battle that emotions alone can win. What’s needed here is sharp legal thinking, experienced lawyers, and a real respect for the rules. But right now, the scales look tipped. The defense is on the front foot, while the prosecution scrambles to keep up.

The accused wasted no time—they hired heavyweight lawyers, including some from the Supreme Court and even from out of state. Meanwhile, the government’s legal team seemed underprepared, at least at the start.

Apurba Kumar Sarma, a senior advocate and General Secretary of the Guwahati Bar Association, didn’t mince words. He said the prosecution is missing several key ingredients. Sure, the chargesheet’s been filed, and the case is moving to the next stage, but there’s still no Special Public Prosecutor, even after the Chief Minister promised one. That’s left a lot of lawyers pretty unhappy.

“This is a voluminous chargesheet, yet the burden of prosecution rests on a single public prosecutor, Bhupendra Bhattacharya, who is shuttling between multiple courtrooms. To effectively counter the defence and ensure momentum, a team of at least eight to ten public prosecutors is essential. Simply fast-tracking the case will not suffice unless a dedicated special court is constituted with day-to-day hearings,” Sarma said, highlighting the intense strain on the prosecution.

On Saturday, the Kamrup Metropolitan District and Sessions Court saw a long hearing, with Zubeen Garg’s wife, Garima Saikia Garg, in attendance. Bail petitions came in from Amritprabha Mahanta, Sandipan Garg, Paresh Baishya and Nandeshwar Bora.

Amritprabha Mahanta’s lawyer, Anan Kumar Bhuyan, argued that the chargesheet is mostly based on assumptions, not facts. He said Zubeen Garg was seen as a father figure by the accused, and there’s no eyewitness backing the alcohol-related allegations. “You can’t build a chargesheet just on speculation,” Bhuyan insisted.

On the other side, Bhupendra Bhattacharya, the government’s lawyer, pushed back hard against the bail requests and asked for more time to file written objections. “He made his objections clear today and will put them in writing soon,” Sarma said. The court set January 17 as the date for the next bail hearing.

Meanwhile, lawyers from the District Legal Services Authority filed bail petitions for Zubeen Garg’s cousin and his two security guards. Siddharth Sharma’s lawyer Anil Mishra appeared via video call, asking for more time to go through the mountain of paperwork. Lawyers for Shyamkanu Mahanta showed up in person, though they didn’t ask for bail that day.

Right now, it’s still not clear if Shekharjyoti Goswami has his own lawyer or if he’s relying on one appointed by the District Legal Services Authority.

The Financial Trail: The Case Inside the Case

The real shock in this case isn’t just the crime itself—it’s the money trail. Investigators say Siddharth Sharma took a big chunk of Zubeen Garg’s earnings and poured it into his own businesses, leaving Zubeen in the dark.

The Court of the Sessions Judge, Kamrup (Metropolitan), Assam, has issued notices to prime accused Siddharth Sharma and his business partner Chetan Dhirasaria in connection with Miscellaneous Case No. 1/2026, arising out of CID Police Station Case No. 18/2025, linked to the Zubeen Garg murder case.

The order was passed on January 3, 2026, following a petition filed by Dr. Rosie Kalita, Chief Investigating Officer (I/O) of the case.

Investigation and Allegations

The Investigating Officer sought invocation of Section 107 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) for the attachment and forfeiture of property allegedly acquired by Siddharth Sharma through proceeds of crime.

According to the prosecution, Sharma—described as the prime accused—was previously a salaried employee earning approximately ₹57,000 per month until November 2022. Despite this, he allegedly invested ₹1.10 crore in a packaged drinking water venture named MAHAVIR AQUA, in partnership with businessman Chetan Dhirasaria.

The I/O contended that the invested amount was misappropriated from Sharma’s employer, the late Zubeen Garg, and that financial gain was a prime motive behind the alleged premeditated murder.

Alleged Money Laundering Trail

The investigation revealed a series of transactions allegedly used to convert cash into legitimate banking channels:

• Dharmendra Baishya: ₹1.89 lakh paid in cash and transferred back to Sharma’s account.

• Rishabh Fulfagar: ₹40 lakh allegedly routed in a similar manner.

• Konkan Talukdar: Admitted under oath to receiving ₹20 lakh in cash and transferring it to Sharma’s account, and another ₹7 lakh to Sharma’s brother, Deepak Sharma.

• Lokesh Borat: ₹20 lakh cash allegedly transferred back to Sharma’s account.

• Amit Mittal: ₹15 lakh in cash transferred to accounts of Sharma’s girlfriend Pratiksha Das, brother Deepak Sharma, and employee Mridupawan Pathak in smaller tranches.

• Sajjan Kumar Jalan: ₹5 lakh cash transferred back to Sharma’s account for investment in MAHAVIR AQUA.

Court’s Observations

While acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations, the court observed that the petition failed to clearly specify the exact shareholding pattern of Siddharth Sharma and Chetan Dhirasaria in MAHAVIR AQUA.

The court expressed concern that passing an ex-parte attachment order without clarity on ownership could cause prejudice to the co-investor, who may not be implicated in the alleged offence.

Order and Directions

The Sessions Court therefore directed that notices be issued to both Siddharth Sharma and Chetan Dhirasaria, asking them to show cause as to why the properties of MAHAVIR AQUA should not be attached.

The Investigating Officer has been instructed to serve the notices within seven days, and the matter has been listed for show-cause reply on January 17, 2026.

Garima Garg: Grief, Strength, and a Demand for Justice

In the middle of all these legal twists stands Garima Saikia Garg. She’s grieving, but she’s not backing down. She didn’t hold back in public—calling the accused “beasts and demons” and making it clear she won’t rest until her husband’s killers face the harshest punishment.

“I thought charges would be framed today, but it didn’t happen,” Garima told reporters. “The defence gets stronger every day. There are 394 witnesses. If things drag on like this, Zubeen won’t get justice.”

She’s demanding a Special Public Prosecutor, a special court, and daily hearings.

“The government owes this to Zubeen,” she said.

As for what happened in Singapore, Garima pointed to videos online that, in her view, show negligence in Zubeen’s care. “They should be investigated too. Now it’s up to the court to decide if there needs to be a re-investigation,” she said. The SIT has already filed its chargesheet, but Garima wants nothing left out.

The Government Steps In, Everyone’s Watching

With the public getting louder and emotions running high, earlier on January 1, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stepped up. He said a Special Public Prosecutor will take over from January 12, focused only on this case. The government’s also heading to the High Court to push for a special court just for Zubeen’s case.

“Justice delayed erodes public confidence,” Sarma said.

He insisted the government’s job is to make sure the process is fair, not to sway the result. He knows how much people care about Zubeen Garg and promised that transparency and accountability will stay at the center.

What Happens Next?

This case has it all—allegations of murder, financial fraud, illegal transfers, a thick chargesheet, 394 witnesses, and a defence team that’s digging in. It’s become a test of the whole justice system’s strength.

In the next few weeks, everything turns on the court: bail objections, framing charges, maybe seizing assets. Justice can move quickly, or it can get lost in the mess. Assam is watching, waiting, and hoping the fight for justice for Zubeen Garg doesn’t get buried under its own weight.

DY365 will keep tracking every twist and turn in this landmark case.

Also Read: Assam: Zubeen Garg's Wife Garima Calls Accused Siddharth and Shyamkanu 'Demons', Demands Severe Punishment