"The Whole Incident is Scripted": Zubeen's Former Bandmate Partha Goswami

In a fresh revelation in the ongoing investigation into the death of singer-actor Zubeen Garg, his long-time drummer and fellow musician Partha Pratim Goswami has come forward with a series of striking statements that shed new light on the inner workings of Garg’s professional circle and his final months.

Speaking to the media, Goswami, who worked with Zubeen for over 15 years, claimed that none of the musicians in the band were ever informed about how much Garg was paid for his shows. “I have never seen any formal agreement or contract for Zubeen da’s performances in all these years,” he said.

Goswami further alleged that Siddharth Sharma, Zubeen’s manager, has been the owner of a company for the past three years, a fact he says he only learned six days after Zubeen’s passing.

He recalled an incident during a show in Dibrugarh, where the musicians confronted Siddharth Sharma at a hotel. “We asked him, ‘Are you the boss now?’ Siddharth said, ‘No, no, dada, Tarsame da is a bit busy these days, so he asked me to handle things temporarily,’” Goswami recounted.

However, Goswami said he found it suspicious that the ownership of the management company seemed to have changed without the knowledge of the artists. “If the owner changes, the employees should be informed. The rules should also change accordingly,” he said, adding that Siddharth later denied any such change.

Goswami alleged that his suspicions were confirmed after Zubeen’s death. “For the past six months to a year, Siddharth has been managing Zubeen’s shows, inaugurations, and events, and the profits have been flowing into his own company’s account,” he claimed.

He also mentioned that Tarsame Mittal’s company, TM Management, had reportedly been handed over to another management firm three years ago, with Mittal retaining only a stake in the company. “The ownership changed on paper, but the company continued under the same name,” he said.

Addressing the ongoing debate over whether Zubeen was poisoned, Goswami firmly rejected the speculation. “I will never believe that Zubeen was poisoned. Singapore has one of the strictest laws in the world. If there had been poisoning, the Singapore authorities would not have released his body so quickly after the post-mortem,” he stated.

He cautioned that unfounded poisoning claims could lead to diplomatic tension between India and Singapore. “If our government now claims Zubeen was poisoned, it will imply that Singapore failed in its investigation — and no country will take that blame,” he said.

Goswami emphasised that the post-mortem conducted in Singapore holds official value, not the one later done at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). “Everything seems scripted. Someone is managing things behind the scenes,” he alleged.

He further claimed that Siddharth Sharma and Shekhar Jyoti were staying in the same hotel room in Singapore at the time of the incident. “Now Shekhar says Siddharth poisoned Zubeen. If he really knew that, then Shekhar is equally guilty. If the SIT proves that Zubeen was poisoned, both should be hanged as punishment,” Goswami said.

Raising questions about missing video evidence, he demanded the release of the complete footage from the day Zubeen drowned. “We’ve seen two short clips, one where Zubeen is swimming with a life jacket, and another where he is struggling. Where is the drowning video? Which one came first? Why were the clips cut short?” Goswami asked.

Goswami questioned why those present at the incident did not immediately report the matter to the authorities upon returning from Singapore, asking, “If you were not at fault, why didn’t you tell the police right away? Why didn’t you provide all the evidence?”

He also highlighted inconsistencies in statements given by Shekhar Jyoti, noting that they differ from his earlier testimonies. Goswami pointed to viral videos showing Zubeen on the yacht and the island, claiming that while Shekhar appeared to be enjoying himself, Zubeen’s body language suggested he was not excited or enthusiastic. “Zubeen is someone who shows excitement when he wants to, but in the videos, his energy and interest were lacking,” he said.

Goswami further criticized Siddharth Sharma and Shekhar Jyoti, who were closely accompanying Zubeen, for failing to ensure his well-being. He said that the night before the incident, Zubeen had partied and was not allowed proper rest, yet was taken directly to the island for a yacht party the following day. “Zubeen needed proper sleep and rest to regain energy, but they didn’t let him. Was this negligence or worse?” Goswami questioned.

He concluded by asserting that the entire incident appears orchestrated and that “something deeper is going on” behind the scenes surrounding Zubeen Garg’s untimely death.

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