Akhil Gogoi welcomes ED scrutiny of Shyamkanu Mahanta wealth

Guwahati :  In a sharp political escalation over the mysterious death of Assamese music icon Zubeen Garg, Raijor Dal chief and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi on Wednesday endorsed reports of an impending Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into prime suspect Shyamkanu Mahanta's vast property holdings and economic dealings.

"News is emerging that the ED will investigate Shyamkanu Mahanta's assets and financial transactions. This demand was solely raised by Raijor Dal, and it is essential from both investigative and justice perspectives," Gogoi declared during a press briefing in Guwahati and later in social media,temporarily suspending his indefinite hunger strike after Mahanta and co-accused Siddharth Sharma surrendered to authorities.

Also Read: Zubeen Garg death: Arrest of Sharma–Mahanta duo triumph, says Akhil Gogoi 

The 52-year-old Garg drowned under suspicious circumstances on September 19 off Singapore's Lazarus Island during a North East India Festival event organized by Mahanta, a prominent cultural promoter .

Assam Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) raids on Mahanta's  residence and recovered objectionable items .

Gogoi lambasted the state government for according "VVIP privileges" to Mahanta, including delayed handcuffing post-surrender and festival distractions amid public outrage.

He renewed calls for a CBI-led inquiry supervised by a sitting High Court judge, immediate arrests of remaining suspects  and release of detained activists Ajay Phukan and Victor Das under the NSA.

The ED's potential entry could unravel deeper corruption layers.

Political Analysts say that Zubeen Garg's mysterious death and its following soap Opera will play an important role in 2026 assembly elections.