Zubeen Garg case: HC hears PIL seeking CBI probe; next hearing March 13
Filed by Abhijit Sharma & Palash Baruah, the PIL questions probe adequacy & seeks court-monitored investigation
A file image of Gauhati High Court. (Photo:@himantabiswa/X)
Guwahati, Dec 17: The Gauhati High Court on Wednesday continued hearing a public interest litigation seeking an independent probe into the death of Assam’s cultural icon Zubeen Garg.
The petitioners reiterated their demand for a CBI inquiry despite the SIT filing a detailed chargesheet.
The PIL, filed by Abhijit Sharma and Palash Ranjan Baruah, questions the alleged adequacy of the investigation and seeks judicial monitoring to ensure that all aspects of the case are thoroughly examined.
During the hearing, Advocate AM Choudhury, appearing for the petitioners, apprised the court of the volume and complexity of the chargesheet filed by the SIT.
Speaking to the press after the proceedings, petitioner Sharma said the chargesheet was “long and huge” and required careful scrutiny.
“Since the chargesheet is extensive, it needs to be read thoroughly. Even the committee assigned to examine it will submit a detailed report after going through the entire document,” he said.
Sharma added that the next hearing has been scheduled for March 13, by which time the committee’s report is expected to be placed before the High Court.
Reiterating the petitioners’ stand, he said the demand for a CBI probe remains unchanged. “Though the chargesheet has been submitted, we will keep a sharp watch on whether the accused are granted bail or whether anyone manages to escape accountability through the SIT chargesheet,” Sharma said.
The High Court had earlier taken up the first hearing of PIL (No. 46/2025) on November 15, when the petitioners sought a proper and transparent investigation into Garg’s death.
Garg had passed away in Singapore on September 19, triggering widespread public concern over the circumstances leading to his demise.
The PIL proceedings are running parallel to the trial in the lower court. Earlier, on December 16, seven accused were produced virtually before the Kamrup (Metro) Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court citing security concerns.
The CJM court appointed a legal aid counsel for the accused after a Bar Association resolution declined to represent them. Copies of the voluminous chargesheet were also served to facilitate further trial proceedings.
Advocate Dhrubajyoti Das was appointed by the District Legal Services Authority to represent the accused, and the next hearing in the trial court has been fixed for December 22.