On the 53rd birth anniversary of Assam’s beloved cultural icon Zubeen Garg, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the Union Home Ministry has granted the mandatory legal sanction required to push forward the investigation into the artiste’s death in Singapore on September 19, 2025. The sanction, approved under Section 208 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), is essential for investigators to formally proceed against the accused persons. This legal provision allows Indian courts to take up a case involving a crime committed outside the country only after the Central Government grants prior sanction.
“This sanction allows us to file the charge sheet and move ahead firmly and lawfully for the trial of the case,” Sarma said, reaffirming the state government’s commitment to submit the charge sheet by December 10. The investigation includes coordination with Singapore authorities, and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has interrogated around 160 witnesses so far, with several arrests made.
This announcement is seen as a significant administrative breakthrough in a case that has remained in the public spotlight for months. As Assam commemorates Zubeen Garg’s birth anniversary, the government’s renewed assurance provides hope and relief to admirers of the singer whose music defined an era of modern Assamese culture.
