Guwahati: Anita Deka Mahanta, wife of Shyamkanu Mahanta—one of the accused in the murder case of popular singer Zubeen Garg—has been desperately searching for legal representation. She submitted a written application to the Bar Association seeking assistance in appointing a lawyer.
Anita Mahanta appealed to the All Assam Lawyers’ Association and the Guwahati Bar Association to reconsider their earlier decision of not representing the accused in the case.
The matter came to light on the day the charge sheet in the Zubeen Garg death case was submitted. Guwahati Bar Association Secretary and senior advocate Apurba Sharma confirmed the development but expressed suspicion regarding the intent behind the application. He said the move could be an attempt to create a legal loophole, allowing the accused to later claim in court that they were convicted without proper legal defence.
Advocate Sharma further explained that once the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) examines the charge sheet, the case will be transferred to the Sessions Court. This process will take some time. After that, dates will be fixed, witnesses will be summoned, and technical and forensic experts will testify. He also stated that if a special court is constituted for the case, it may help in delivering speedy justice.
Senior advocate Bijan Mahajan said that BNS Section 103 has been invoked against four accused—Shyamkanu Mahanta, Shekharjyoti Goswami, Siddharth Sharma, and Amritprabha Mahanta. He explained that Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) is equivalent to IPC Section 302 (murder). If found guilty under this section, the accused may face the death penalty, life imprisonment, and a fine.
Mahajan added that under Section 105, the accused Sandipan Garg may face life imprisonment. The two bodyguards accused under Section 316 could also receive life imprisonment if convicted.
Another advocate, Manoj Deuri, pointed out lapses in the investigation, stating that proper investigation was not conducted at the stage where it was required. He also noted that although the actual incident took place in Singapore, no significant investigation appears to have been carried out there.
Meanwhile, lawyers in Assam have clearly stated that none of them have agreed to represent the accused in the Zubeen Garg murder case. According to senior members of the legal fraternity, this decision was taken voluntarily and collectively by advocates across the state following the singer’s death.
Notably, despite the charge sheet being filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the relatives of the accused have still failed to secure legal counsel.
