Zubeen Garg death case: Yacht eyewitness Parikshit Sharma testifies in Guwahati court – Report |
Parikshit Sharma, a member of the Assam Association in Singapore, appeared before the special fast-track court in Guwahati on Wednesday to record his statement in connection with the death of singer-musician Zubeen Garg. His appearance marks a significant development in the ongoing trial.
Who is Parikshit Sharma, and why does his testimony matter?
According to an IANS report, Parikshit Sharma is believed to be the first member of the Assam Association who was aboard the yacht during the September 2025 outing in Singapore when Zubeen Garg died. His account is therefore considered significant to the case.Sharma deposed before the court as a witness, although details of his testimony and the questions put to him during the examination have not yet been made public.
How did Zubeen Garg die?
The 52-year-old singer died on September 19, 2025, after reportedly going swimming during a yacht outing near Lazarus Island in Singapore. Garg was in the city to attend the fourth edition of the North East India Festival.His death triggered widespread grief and protests across Assam. More than 60 police complaints were filed in connection with the case. These were subsequently consolidated and handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for investigation by an Assam Police Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Charge sheet and accused in the case
The SIT filed its charge sheet in December 2025, naming seven accused.Four accused, festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma, bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and singer Amritprabha Mahanta, have been charged with murder. The other three accused are Garg’s cousin Sandipan Garg and his security personnel Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya.
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Trial progress so far
The Gauhati High Court set up a dedicated fast-track sessions court in March 2026 to conduct daily hearings in the case. Formal charges were framed against all seven accused in May, and the trial began on June 8. The proceedings have continued despite the Singapore Coroner’s Court ruling in March that Garg’s death was caused by drowning and finding no evidence of foul play. As of August 14, prosecutors had examined 94 of the 394 witnesses listed in the case. Several witnesses based in Singapore are still expected to testify.The Supreme Court has also directed the Assam authorities to expedite the trial.
