Rs 2.90 crore GST from Zubeen Garg film to go to Kalaguru Foundation: Assam CM
Guwahati: The Assam government will transfer Rs 2.90 crore, the state GST collected from the singer Zubeen Garg’s final Assamese film Roi Roi Binale, to the Kalaguru Foundation by January 2, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday.
Addressing reporters during the New Year interaction programme ‘Natun Diner Alap’, Sarma said the film, which earned Rs 32 crore at the box office, created a new benchmark for the Assamese film industry. He said the GST share would be credited to the foundation established by Garg.
The chief minister also announced that the state government would appoint a Special Public Prosecutor by January 12 to handle the case related to Garg’s death.
He said the government was consulting senior criminal lawyers and was likely to finalise the name of the prosecutor by January 6.
Sarma added that the government would move the Gauhati High Court seeking a fast-track trial in the case. “The final decision rests with the high court, but we will place our request,” he said.
Describing 2025 as a deeply distressing year for Assam, the chief minister said the death of Zubeen Garg and the developments that followed had shaken the state.
Garg had travelled to Singapore to attend the North East India Festival and died under mysterious circumstances while swimming in the sea on September 19. The Assam Police investigated the incident and filed a chargesheet within three months.
The trial of the seven accused began last month at the Kamrup (Metro) District and Sessions Court. Festival chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s secretary Siddhartha Sharma, his cousin Sandipan Garg and two personal security officers appeared before the court from Baksa Jail, while musician Shekharjyoti Goswami and singer Amritprava Mahanta joined the proceedings online from Haflong Jail.
In the chargesheet filed on December 12, the Special Investigation Team charged Mahanta, Sharma, Goswami and Amritprava with murder.
Police have charged Sandipan Garg, a suspended Assam Police officer, with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, while they have booked the two personal security officers for criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust in connection with the alleged misappropriation of entrusted funds or property.