The Assam Government has submitted a request to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to invoke the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with Singapore in connection with singer Zubeen Garg’s death in the Southeast Asian country, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday.
“Once invoked, this will ensure full cooperation from Singaporean authorities — giving us access to case details and assistance to bring back the accused and secure justice,” Sarma said in an X post.
Government constituted a 10-member SIT, led by Special DGP MP Gupta, to investigate the singer’s death in Singapore due to drowning in the sea on September 19.
Assam Director General of Police Harmeet Singh said MLAT already exists with Singapore, and now MHA will send necessary documents to the Southeast Asian nation, “so that we can seek the help of Singaporean authorities in the investigation”.
“The process has already started,” he said on the sidelines of a programme.
“For investigation in a different country, a process must be followed. Therefore, I appeal to people through the media to continue having faith in Assam Police the same way they have shown in the last one week since Zubeen’s death,” the DGP said.
The SIT has already issued notices to 10 people, including chief organiser of North East India Festival (NEIF) Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma and members
of Singapore Assam Association, to appear before it and record their statements.
Two Assam Police officers are likely to visit Singapore soon after the completion of necessary formalities.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said earlier that ‘lookout notices’ have been issued through the Interpol for Mahanta and Sharma. He also asked them to appear before the CID on October 6 after the Durga Puja and if they fail to do so, the police will launch search operations for them.