Singapore Police close singer Zubeen Garg’s death probe, reiterate no foul play

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has closed the investigation into Assamese singer Zubeen Garg’s death, reiterating that there is no evidence of foul play and that a high concentration of ethanol was found in his blood during post-death examinations. Garg was on a private yacht trip in the waters off Singapore’s Lazarus Island on September 19 last year when he died. Singer Zubeen Garg died in Singapore. (PTI)“He [Garg] had initially entered the water wearing a life jacket but later removed it and returned to the yacht without it,” the SPF said in a statement on Wednesday, detailing the findings of the probe conducted under the Singapore Coroners Act, 2010. It added that investigators examined all available evidence and recorded statements from relevant witnesses before arriving at conclusions. “He subsequently went into the water a second time, swimming alone and away from the vessel without a life jacket, despite being offered one. While attempting to swim back towards the yacht, he was seen becoming unresponsive,” the statement said. The SPF said the yacht’s captain and others on-board rescued Garg and administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A police boat was dispatched soon after the emergency call, and officers arrived promptly to assist. Paramedics attended to him upon reaching shore, and he was taken to Singapore General Hospital, where he died. “Post-mortem findings, including toxicology analysis, were consistent with drowning. The toxicology report revealed a high ethanol concentration of 333 mg/100 ml in his blood, a level that would have caused severe intoxication and significantly impaired coordination and reflexes in an individual not habituated to alcohol,” the SPF said. It added that other substances detected were within therapeutic ranges and consistent with Garg’s known medical conditions, including epilepsy and hypertension. The findings were submitted to the State Coroner as part of a Coroner’s Inquiry, a fact-finding process to establish the cause and circumstances of death. The Coroner, after reviewing the evidence on March 25, ruled that Garg’s death was due to accidental drowning, with no evidence of foul play, in line with the police findings. The SPF urged people to refrain from speculation and released a detailed statement. Garg travelled to Singapore for a cultural event and died on September 19, a day before he was scheduled to perform. A case related to the alleged murder of Garg continues in Assam. Seven people have been arrested in the case. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma termed the death a “plain and simple murder” and ordered a parallel criminal investigation. A Special Investigation Team constituted for the probe travelled to Singapore in October last year to gather evidence. After nearly three months of investigation, the SIT filed a 1,200-page charge sheet in December. The Gauhati high court last month appointed district and sessions judge Sharmila Bhuyan as the presiding officer of a fast-track sessions court for day-to-day trial proceedings of the case from March 30.