Guwahati, Oct 3: A petition has been submitted to the Supreme Court by Shyamkanu Mahanta, the chief organizer of the Northeast India Festival. He is requesting that the investigation into the death of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg be transferred from the state police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) to a central agency like the CBI or NIA.

Filed through advocate Raj Kamal on September 30, the petition names the Centre, the Assam government, the state's Director General of Police, the CBI, and the NIA as respondents.

Mahanta claims he has been subjected to a "vicious media trial" and "scapegoating" regarding Garg’s unexpected death.

According to the petition, Mahanta, who is the brother of Assam's Chief Information Commissioner Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, has been unfairly portrayed as involved in the unfortunate demise of his close friend, Zubeen Garg, due to irresponsible media coverage.

He argues that he has been unjustly targeted by both the media and state authorities.

The petition states that Mahanta was occupied with organizing a three-day cultural festival in Singapore from September 19 to 21 and was not present at the location of Garg’s death.

It mentions that Mahanta last met the singer on September 17, just two days prior to the incident.

“The Petitioner could not even meet the deceased on 19.09.2025, the date of the incident, as he was busy overseeing the arrangements of the Festival and had met him only on 17.09.2025,” the petition elaborates.

Mahanta is requesting the transfer of the investigation from the Assam SIT to the CBI or NIA, with oversight by a retired Supreme Court judge.

He is also seeking a directive for the Assam Police to refrain from taking any coercive actions against him, including arrest or harassment.

Additionally, the petition calls for the suspension of the Look-Out Circular against Mahanta, allowing him to return and participate in the investigation.

It emphasizes the need to preserve vital evidence, such as Garg’s post-mortem report, investigation records from Singapore, video footage of the incident, and medical history indicating the singer’s previous health issues, including epileptic fits.

Furthermore, Mahanta is requesting the de-sealing of his properties and the unfreezing of bank accounts belonging to him and his family.

He also seeks a directive for media and social media platforms to halt any prejudicial coverage until the investigation concludes.

Zubeen Garg, a renowned singer from Assam, tragically passed away in Singapore on September 19, just a day before he was set to perform at the festival. Reports indicate that the 52-year-old artist drowned while swimming near an island during a yacht outing.

Authorities have filed murder charges against Garg's manager, Siddharth Sharma, and Mahanta, both of whom were apprehended in Delhi on Wednesday and are currently in CID custody for 14 days.

The petition notes that Singaporean authorities have begun their own investigation but have not identified any foul play or wrongdoing linked to Mahanta.