The Supreme Court has postponed further proceedings on the bail plea filed by Shyamkanu Mahanta, an accused in the case surrounding the demise of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore. The apex court has now scheduled the matter for the first week of November. Mahanta is currently detained in Baksa jail alongside five other individuals named in the investigation. Authorities arrested him in October 2025, roughly a month after Garg passed away in Singapore in September 2025.
Trial Progress and Witness Examination Status
During the court session, the state government of Assam updated the bench on the ongoing trial proceedings, noting that the deposition of witnesses is actively moving forward. State representatives shared that as of August 14, depositions from 94 out of a total of 394 witnesses had been successfully recorded. Furthermore, several key witnesses currently located in Singapore have yet to provide their formal statements, though authorities indicated that those records are expected to be completed in the near future.
Murder Charges Framed in Fast-Track Court
In previous hearings, the Supreme Court instructed the Assam government to ensure the judicial trial proceeds without unwarranted postponements. The bench noted that overall headway in the trial would serve as a crucial factor when evaluating Mahanta's request for bail. In Assam, a fast-track court has already framed formal murder charges against four individuals in the case, including Mahanta, who had been involved in organising the North East India Festival in Singapore.
