Two accused in the Zubeen Garg death case withdrew their bail petitions on January 22, 2026. Shyamkanu Mahanta, director of the North East India Festival, and Sandipan Garg, the singer’s cousin and a suspended Assam Police officer, pulled out their pleas during a hearing at Kamrup Metropolitan District and Sessions Court. Mahanta faces murder charges, while Sandipan is charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The court heard bail pleas of three other accused: singer Amritprava Mahanta, and Zubeen Garg’s personal security officers Paresh Baishya and Nandeswar Bora. The matter will be heard again on January 30, when the court is expected to pass an order on the bail petitions. Two other accused, secretary Siddhartha Sharma and band member Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, have yet to apply for bail. The accused attended the hearing virtually, while Zubeen Garg’s widow, Garima, and sister, Palmee Borthakur, were present in court. Garima said, "The prosecution put up a strong case opposing the bail petitions, and they were satisfied with the arguments." Palmee Borthakur added, "We are waiting for the court’s decision on January 30." Zubeen Garg died mysteriously while swimming at the North East India Festival in Singapore on September 19, 2025. The Assam government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which submitted a chargesheet on December 12. The SIT charged Mahanta, Sharma, Goswami, and Amritprava with murder. Sandipan Garg faces culpable homicide charges, and the two PSOs are charged with criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust. A five-member special public prosecutor team was appointed by the Assam state cabinet to handle the case. Recently, a Singapore coroner’s court ruled out foul play, stating Garg was severely drunk and drowned after refusing a life jacket near Lazarus Island.