The Gauhati High Court on Friday took up the bail petition of Shyamkanu Mahanta, a prime accused in the Zubeen Garg death case.
The court of Justice Mitali Thakuria heard the matter, fixing May 22 for the next date of hearing.
Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Ziaul Kamar, speaking to reporters after the hearing, said, "Mahanta's advocate appeared through video-conferencing during the hearing today. He said new documents have to be submitted and wanted to file an affidavit. The honourable court asked him to give the new documents and additional affidavit on May 18." The judge also said that she will need time to go through the case records before passing any order on the bail petition.
"During motion stage, a court can grant bail without going through the case dairy depending on the case. But since this is a sensitive case and there is a huge case diary, the court needs time to go through the records," Kamar said.
He added that the Advocate General Devajit Saikia appeared before the court during the hearing.
"Saikia said that after the defendant's advocate files the papers, he will go through it and if needed, will file objection and may seek time for doing so," Kamar said.
Mahanta's bail petition before the special fast-track court that is hearing the singer's death case was rejected by it on April 30, citing "risk of fleeing".
He had applied for bail in the special fast-track court on April 10. He had earlier also applied for bail, but withdrew it later.
The singer-composer drowned while swimming off Lazarus Island on September 19, a day before he was slated to perform at the North East India Festival in Singapore.
A Special Investigation Team of Assam Police's CID probed the death and filed its charge sheet before a local court here in December, naming seven accused. Four of them are facing murder charges, including Mahanta.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in the state Assembly in November that Garg's death was a case of "plain and simple murder".
Singapore Police, which has carried out a separate probe, has concluded that there is no evidence of foul play. Authorities in Assam, however, maintained that it will not impact the case here in any manner.
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