In a significant development in the probe into the death of Assam's iconic singer Zubeen Garg, two musicians - Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amritprabha Mahanta - were on Friday remanded to 14-day police custody, officials said.
The duo, arrested earlier in connection with the high-profile case, was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court in Guwahati on Friday.
Following proceedings that lasted for nearly an hour, the two were sent back to the CID headquarters for further interrogation, police sources confirmed.
Investigators revealed that Goswami and Mahanta were reportedly in Singapore at the time of Garg's death, a detail that has now come under sharp scrutiny.
Officials said the foreign trip and its timing would be examined carefully to determine if it bore any relevance to the circumstances surrounding the singer's demise.
Garg, celebrated across Assam and the Northeast as one of the region's most influential cultural icons, passed away under circumstances that continue to generate widespread debate and public emotion.
His family has alleged that he might have been forced into water despite a pre-existing medical condition, a claim that has prompted investigators to probe the sequence of events leading up to his death in meticulous detail.
Police officials maintained that the investigation is still at a sensitive stage and stressed the importance of gathering corroborative evidence before drawing any conclusions.
"Given the public sentiment and the stature of Garg in Assam's cultural landscape, this investigation requires absolute precision and caution," a senior officer said.
Earlier, Siddharth Sharma, manager of the late singer and organiser of Northeast India Festival, Shyamkanu Mahanta, were taken into custody related to the probe of music maestro's untimely demise in Singapore.
The judicial remand of the two musicians marks one of the most crucial phases in the case so far, with authorities underlining that no angle would be overlooked.
As public attention continues to mount, the CID has assured that every effort is being made to bring clarity and transparency to the inquiry.
The death of Garg, who enjoyed an unparalleled connection with people through his music and activism, has cast a long shadow across Assam, with calls for justice resonating strongly from fans and cultural bodies alike.
(With inputs from IANS)
