“Zubeen Was Deceived”: Percussionist Raja Boruah Alleges

As the investigation into the mysterious death of singer-actor Zubeen Garg continues, his long-time fellow musician Raja Boruah was recently summoned to the CID office in Guwahati for questioning.

Boruah revealed that the CID primarily asked about his association and friendship with Zubeen Garg. Speaking to reporters, he said, “We want justice for Zubeen Garg, and we will fully cooperate with the CID. The people of the Assam Association in Singapore should also come to Guwahati so that a full-fledged investigation can take place and the truth comes out.”

He recalled that before Zubeen departed for Singapore, the singer only mentioned to him that he had a flight the next day and would need to wake up early. Zubeen did not mention the party or the yacht trip to the island, Boruah said.

Addressing financial matters, Boruah stated that neither he nor the other band members had knowledge of Zubeen’s earnings from his shows. “Since we didn’t know about monetary transactions, we had no idea how much he got paid. Zubeen himself never asked for the transaction accounts from Siddharth Sharma, and we never asked either. After the shows, we received our payments and didn’t ask further. Siddharth used to misbehave with others, and Zubeen, who loved and trusted everyone, is now being deceived,” he said.

Regarding the poisoning allegations, Boruah expressed scepticism. “We cannot believe Shekhar’s statement that Zubeen was poisoned. If he was truly poisoned, the court would definitely punish the guilty, or the people of Assam, or even God would ensure justice,” he said.

Boruah also spoke about the mental toll the incident has taken on him. “Since Zubeen’s death, I didn’t want to watch videos of his last moments as I was mentally drained — it was too heart-wrenching. Now I’ve seen some of them, but not all. I cannot make anyone understand the kind of loss I have been feeling.”

On Siddharth Sharma’s financial dealings, Boruah said that the musicians were never involved in monetary transactions and were unaware of the properties owned by him. “I met Zubeen in 1989, and I have been with him since then. He always wanted to open a big music institution like Berklee and used to discuss this with us,” he added.

Boruah also reflected on Zubeen’s shifting focus in later years. “As Zubeen started concentrating on movies, football, and other activities, he became busy with his schedule. We used to meet him only when we had to work or make music. I, too, got busy with other singers’ projects,” he said.

He recalled the centenary celebration of Bhupen Hazarika on September 7 in Delhi, noting that he could not even speak with Zubeen due to his performance obligations. “He sang two songs, and I played instruments for him. And I was playing instruments I the show for other singers too. I couldn't talk to him. After that, he left the stage. There was always a gap between us, but I respected him deeply,” Boruah said.

He concluded by praising Zubeen Garg’s character, stating, “He used to help everyone and also cared deeply about the environment. He was a great person.”

Boruah’s statements highlight both the professional and personal dimensions of Zubeen Garg’s life and reinforce calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.