Siddhartha Sarma, a named accused in the Zubeen Garg death case and former manager of the late Assamese music icon, on Thursday moved the Gauhati High Court challenging a Fast Track Court order, seeking the reopening of his firm Mahabir Aqua and the defreezing of bank accounts frozen during the investigation. The petition marks the latest legal manoeuvre in a case that has gripped Assam since Garg's death in Singapore in September last year.

What Sarma's Petition Seeks

According to legal sources, Sarma filed the petition before the High Court contesting the findings of the Fast Track Court and seeking relief on multiple counts related to the ongoing criminal proceedings. His plea requests the court to allow Mahabir Aqua — a business entity that has remained shut since investigative agencies stepped in — to resume operations.

Sarma also sought directions for the release of bank accounts linked to the firm, which were frozen by investigating agencies during the course of the probe. The petition reportedly urged the court to factor in findings and reports submitted by Singapore authorities regarding Garg's death, arguing that the conclusions of the foreign investigation should be examined as part of the judicial proceedings underway in Assam.

Bail Plea Setback and Court History

The fresh petition comes just a week after the Gauhati High Court declined to entertain Sarma's bail application. On 4 June, a bench of Justice Parthivjyoti Saikia did not accept the bail plea for hearing, resulting in no substantive proceedings on the matter that day.

Sarma had earlier approached the High Court after a Fast Track Court rejected his bail application, citing the gravity of the allegations and the ongoing nature of the investigation. This latest petition signals that Sarma's legal team is now broadening its challenge beyond bail to the underlying business and financial restrictions imposed on him.

Background: The Zubeen Garg Death Case

Celebrated Assamese singer Zubeen Garg died on 19 September last year while swimming near Lazarus Island in Singapore, a day before he was scheduled to perform at an event organised under the North East International Festival (NEIF) banner. His death sent shockwaves through the Assamese cultural community and triggered a prolonged criminal investigation back home.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Assam CID subsequently probed the circumstances surrounding the death and filed a chargesheet naming seven accused persons, including Sarma. This came even as the Singapore Police concluded that there was no evidence of foul play — a divergence that now sits at the heart of the legal dispute.

India-Singapore Investigative Divide

The contradiction between the Assam SIT's criminal chargesheet and the Singapore Police's findings of no foul play has become a central flashpoint in the case. Sarma's petition reportedly leans on the Singapore report to challenge the basis of the Fast Track Court's findings. Notably, this is the first time the foreign investigation findings have been formally cited before the High Court in a substantive petition, potentially setting up a significant judicial examination of cross-border evidence.

With the High Court now seized of the petition, the next hearing will be closely watched by both the accused and the families of those affected. How the court weighs Singapore's conclusions against the Assam SIT's chargesheet could shape the trajectory of the entire case.