“I Didn’t Book the Yacht or Sponsor Any Party in Singapore!” – Sanjive Narain

After days of silence amid swirling allegations, AM Television CMD Dr. Sanjive Narain has broken his silence over the tragic death of Zubeen Garg, calling the storm of accusations against him “malicious, painful, and deeply unfair.”

Speaking for the first time since the incident, Narain said he deliberately stayed quiet between 19 and 23 September to allow Assam to mourn in peace. “Zubeen was like family to me. It would have been wrong to speak when his last rites had not yet been completed. But the lies that were spread in the meantime hurt me and my family beyond measure,” Narain said.

The statement lays out a detailed timeline, boarding passes, and first-hand testimony that aim to dismantle the accusations that had been circulating online and offline.

Party Video Allegation Busted

One of the most viral allegations claimed that Narain hosted a private party on 18 September in Singapore that Zubeen attended. Narain has flatly denied the claim, explaining that he was at the Shaheed Pranam Tumak premiere in Guwahati that evening before catching a 7:50 PM flight to Kolkata and then an 11:30 PM IST flight to Singapore.

The party video was timestamped at 9:39 PM Singapore time — when Narain was still at Guwahati Airport. “There was no way I could have been in Singapore, let alone organizing a party,” he said. Boarding passes attached to his statement corroborate his timeline.

“I Did Not Book the Yacht”

The second major allegation — that Narain booked and paid for the yacht that took Zubeen to sea — was also dismissed as false. Narain detailed his day on 19 September, saying he landed at 6:30 AM, checked into his hotel by 10 AM, rested until 3 PM, and was about to have lunch when he received the call about Zubeen’s accident.

“I had no knowledge of who booked the yacht or who took Zubeen to sea,” Narain said. He added that it was later confirmed that a member of the Singapore Assamese community, identified as Tanmay, had made the arrangements.

Inside the Hospital

Narain’s statement includes a chilling account of Zubeen’s final hours. He rushed to the jetty where Zubeen was brought ashore and given CPR. “I shouted, asking why Zubeen was even allowed to go to sea in the first place, and why CPR was being given there instead of rushing him to the hospital,” he recalled.

Narain said Singapore Police permitted only him to accompany Zubeen in the ambulance, but he insisted that Siddhartha — who knew Zubeen’s medical history — be allowed to join. Despite prolonged ICU efforts, doctors declared Zubeen dead at 5:15 PM Singapore time (2:45 PM IST).

“I Was Denied the Chance to Say Goodbye”

Narain broke down while recalling how the wave of public anger prevented him from paying his last respects. “This targeted campaign denied me my right to bid farewell to my 35-year-old friend and a member of my extended family. Despite repeated requests, we were advised not to attend the funeral. This wound will never heal — the pain of not seeing him one last time will stay forever,” he said.

The Social Media Witch-Hunt

In his statement, Narain directly called out “a handful of people on social media” for weaponizing grief and spreading unverified claims that turned into a public trial. “This relentless conspiracy inflicted deep emotional pain on me and my family. It destroyed our dignity at a time when we were also grieving,” he said.

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