Why Wasn't Shyamkanu Mahanta’s Phone Seized Immediately After Arrest?

Shyamkanu Mahanta, the chief organiser of the North East India Festival, was arrested on Wednesday early morning, in connection with the mysterious death of Assam’s beloved singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore. He, along with Zubeen’s manager Siddharth Sharma, was later sent to police custody for 14 days.

However, a photograph that surfaced shortly after Mahanta’s arrest shows him handcuffed with a mobile phone still tucked in his pocket, while two police officers stand beside him. It certainly raises questions: Shouldn’t the police have immediately seized the phone, given its potential significance to the investigation?

Netizens have alleged that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Assam police may have been unusually lenient in handling such a high-profile detainee. In a case of such gravity, a phone in the hands of someone under investigation for a serious case could contain critical messages, call logs, or other evidence that might be vital to the probe.

Although, at the time of filing this story, it is pertinent to mention that the authorities have since taken custody of his mobile phone. Still, the fact that it remained with him for a prolonged period of time after arrest only fuelled public speculation.

Currently, both Shyamkanu Mahanta and Siddharth Sharma have been remanded to police custody for 14 days. The case remains under intense observation as Assam waits for answers in the death of one of its most celebrated cultural icons.

Also Read: Assam Breathes a Sigh of Relief, Yet Questions Remain: Who Really Killed Zubeen Garg?