The Gauhati High Court is scheduled to hear the bail plea of Shyamkanu Mahanta on Monday in connection with the widely discussed Zubeen Garg death case, as legal proceedings in the matter enter a crucial stage. The hearing, which comes up for the third time before the court, is expected to play an important role in deciding Mahanta’s immediate legal future. The case has drawn significant public attention across Assam over the past few weeks, with both the defence and the prosecution placing detailed submissions before the court.
The matter was earlier heard on May 15 and May 22 in the courtroom of Justice Mitali Thakuria. During the previous hearings, the defence side submitted additional documents and presented extensive arguments in support of Mahanta’s bail application. Senior advocate Pran Bora, appearing for Mahanta, argued that the death of Zubeen Garg was an unfortunate accident and not an intentional act. The defence maintained before the court that Mahanta should not be held criminally responsible for the incident. The legal team also referred to statements recorded before the Special Investigation Team (SIT), claiming that several of those statements supported Mahanta’s stand and pointed towards his innocence in the case. Along with this, the defence cited judicial precedents from similar cases while seeking bail for the accused.
With the matter coming up again on Monday, attention is now expected to shift towards the arguments of the state government. The prosecution is likely to strongly oppose the bail plea and seek its rejection before the court. Advocate General Devajit Lon Saikia is also expected to appear along with the state’s legal team, indicating the importance attached to the case by the government.