CID Opens New Probe Into Event Manager, Linked To Zubeen Garg’s Death, Over Financial Crimes

Zubeen Garg’s Death: A separate probe has been launched against event manager Shyamkanu Mahanta, an accused in Assamese singer Zubeen Garg’s death, for his alleged involvement in organised financial crimes and acquiring properties by money laundering.

A special team of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) seized bundles of ”incriminating” documents and items from Shyamkanu’s home during the raid on Thursday and Friday, news agency PTI reported.

The probe team found and seized multiple PAN cards in the name of one firm, nearly 30 stamp seals of different companies and government officials, and documents related to several benami properties.

CID’s Senior SP Ashif Ahmed lodged an FIR against the Northeast India Festival organiser, in which he listed

all the recoveries and requested a separate probe into the alleged financial irregularities of Mahanta by attaching and freezing all his properties, the news agency reported.

”In the course of the search, several incriminating documents and articles were seized, which clearly point towards the commission of serious financial irregularities, forgery, and use of fraudulent means for unlawful financial gains,” the CID FIR said.

”The possession and use of multiple PAN cards in the name of the same entity prima facie establishes fraudulent intention and deliberate manipulation to conceal or project tainted money as untainted,” it added.

Several documents were also recovered inside the residence and the office premises of Mahanta, pertaining to the construction of roads under the PMGSY scheme in various districts of Assam as well as in Arunachal Pradesh, it said.

”That in view of the above, it is humbly submitted that an independent investigation for misappropriation of government funds, cheating by forgery of government documents has been committed by Syam Kanu (sic) Mahanta and his associates and acquired huge properties out of the proceeds of crime,” the FIR said.

After receiving the complaint, the CID headquarters registered a case on Saturday night under multiple sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhtia (BNS), and appointed Additional SP Moramee Das as the investigating officer.

Zubeen Garg’s Death Probe

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Assam Police is currently probing Garg’s death after more than 60 FIRs were lodged across the state against Mahanta, the main organiser of the Northeast India Festival in Singapore where the singer had gone to perform, and almost 10 others, including the icon’s manager Siddharth Sharma.

Earlier this week, the SIT carried out raids at multiple locations in Guwahati. The searches included the residence of event organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, as well as the homes of Zubeen Garg’s manager and sound recordist.

The SIT was constituted to investigate the singer’s death during the Northeast India Festival in Singapore on September 19. Authorities said Zubeen Garg died by drowning.

Zubeen Garg passed away in Singapore on September 19 after an alleged drowning incident. His body was flown to the national capital, Delhi, and later transported to Assam on a commercial flight that landed in Guwahati on Sunday morning. Garg was in Singapore for the Northeast India Festival.

His final rites were carried out in the Kamarkuchi village of Assam on September 23, in the presence of hundreds of fans, his family members, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and other political leaders. A gun salute was given to Zubeen at the crematorium.

Who Is Shyamkanu Mahanta?

Shyamkanu Mahanta is the Chief Functionary of Trend MMS Private Limited, which has organised exhibitions and cultural festivals such as the North East India Festival in Singapore, as well as similar events in Thailand, Vietnam and New Delhi. He is also listed as a director in several other companies.

Shyamkanu is the younger brother of former DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, who is presently the chief information commissioner of the Assam State Information Commission. His another elder brother is Nani Gopal Mahanta, who was the education advisor to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma before becoming the vice chancellor of Gauhati University.

(With inputs from PTI)