GUWAHATI, Oct. 20: A two-member delegation of the special investigation team (SIT) of Assam crime investigation department (CID), probing legendary singer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg’s untimely demise, reached Singapore on Monday.
The high-level delegation, led by SIT head, Munna Prasad Gupta, is expected to meet Singapore Police authorities on October 21.
The probe team’s visit, which marks a key phase of the ongoing probe in terms of exchange of crucial evidence and case details between the two investigating agencies, comes a month after Garg’s death during a yacht trip in the Southeast Asian country.
Prior to the visit, requests had been made by the probe team under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty to authorities in Singapore for cooperation.
According to sources, the delegation, apart from meeting the police force there, is expected to examine CCTV footage of the hotel where the singer stayed and analyse samples of food served at the hotel as part of the forensic assessment.
Sources said the probe team would also question Wajid Ahmed, a citizen of Singapore who had accompanied the singer during the yacht trip to an island there along with other members of Assam Association Singapore.
Notably, 10 members of the association, had deposed before the SIT at the CID headquarters here after summons were issued for their questioning in the case.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while speaking to mediapersons, said the findings of the investigation team’s visit to Singapore would be shared with the media by the SIT head once the delegation returns to the state.
Sarma had, during his visit to New Delhi recently, met Acting High Commissioner of Singapore, Alice Cheng, during which he reiterated the state government’s request to the Singaporean authorities to extend their fullest cooperation to Assam Police in the case.
“We have been assured of all possible support in this matter,” he had stated.
The chief minister also informed that the Singapore police were carrying out a professional and thorough probe into the case and that details would be disclosed only upon conclusion of the investigation, which might take around two more months.
