Zubeen Garg’s PSOs arrested in death probe

Two personal security officers (PSOs) of late singer Zubeen Garg were arrested on Friday in connection with his death in Singapore last month, an official said.

The two — Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya — who had been deputed by the government as part of Garg’s security detail, were suspended by the Assam Police on Tuesday after multiple rounds of questioning, the official added.

Financial transactions amounting to over Rs 1.1 crore through their bank accounts were detected during the probe, raising suspicions, he said. The duo were produced before a local court, which remanded them to five days’ CID custody, he added.

Zubeen’s wife, Garima Saikia Garg, had on Thursday stated that her husband had given some money to his PSOs for social work.

The arrested officers had been with the singer for several years, having been attached to him by the Assam Police nearly a decade ago after he received death threats from the banned militant outfit ULFA.

A total of seven people have so far been arrested in connection with the celebrated singer’s death.

Earlier, North East India Festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer’s cousin Sandipan Garg, his manager Siddhartha Sharma, musician Shekharjyoti Goswami and singer Amritprava Mahanta were also arrested.

Sandipan, an Assam Police Service officer, was suspended following his arrest.

Zubeen Garg died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19. He had travelled there to take part in the North East India Festival. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam Police is currently investigating the case.