Guwahati: The Indian government’s request for legal assistance on the Zubeen Garg case has been confirmed by the Singaporean authorities. The Attorney-General’s office of Singapore will take a call on this. Second notice has been issued to the 10 Singapore-based NRIs who have not turned up to the Assam CID for investigation in Guwahati.
Further, the viscera report of Zubeen Garg has been received from the CFSL, Delhi. Speaking on the matter, Special DGP Munna Prasad Gupta stated, “We have received the viscera report of Zubeen Garg from CFSL, and it has been given to the medical committee set up by Guwahati Medical College for them to prepare the final post-mortem report. Once the final post-mortem report is received, we will file it in the court”.
Gupta clarified that Indian authorities cannot independently conduct investigations in foreign jurisdictions. Any inquiry abroad must be carried out under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) framework. He informed us that all relevant information has been officially forwarded to the Attorney-General’s Office in Singapore, and communication with the Indian High Commission in Singapore is currently ongoing. A total of seven people have been arrested so far in the case.
“The CID cannot operate in Singapore without cooperation from the local authorities. Our assistance request was routed through the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, and has reached the appropriate legal office in Singapore,” Gupta said. He added that the Singapore government has confirmed that no Indian officials will be allowed to carry out on-site investigations, but coordination and data exchange are being facilitated through diplomatic channels.
Meanwhile, the family doctor and close friend of Zubeen Garg has spoken out that he had warned the singer not to venture near the sea. Hitesh Baruah, the CMD of Nemcare Hospitals, has spoken about the medical situation of Zubeen Garg. In an exclusive conversation with TSG, Dr. Baruah revealed that Zubeen had seizure episodes earlier as well and was advised by him not to go near water or fire.
Q1. You were close with Zubeen Garg. Tell us, what was he like as a friend?
A. Dr. Hitesh Baruah: So we have a good relationship, and he always discusses with me regarding his health, music and other things. He was a social worker, and he was always concerned with the needy patients. Sometimes at midnight, he used to call me to treat the patient. He used to say that he would pay as well, you just have to help them. Such was his personality. He is actually a social worker, not only a singer, not only a composer, not only an actor, but also a good man.
Q2. What advice did you give him medically?
A. Dr. Hitesh Baruah: I gave one instruction that he has to take one physical and mental checkup before going. I will not say Singapore, but I told him that when you go abroad, you have to come and you have to do a medical exam. It is not his duty, but it was the duty of his manager. Because he is a man who does not know anything about himself. The number two mistake is that his manager should avoid him at the seaside and fire, and even in the bathroom, he has to be careful. Because we can not say when a seizure will come so we have to be careful. That is the thing. So, number three, my point is, why do they allow him to go swimming? That too in a sea, as I think he was drowning and was struggling to ventilate. Then the number three point, I think he was also suffering from a seizure also, so he couldn’t do anything.
