Four accused in the death case of singer Zubeen Garg filed bail petitions before the Kamrup (Metro) District and Sessions Court on Saturday.

The court, which is hearing the case, fixed 17 January as the next date of hearing, when the public prosecutor will file objections to the bail pleas.

The bail petitions were moved by Garg’s band member Amritprava Mahanta, his cousin Sandipan Garg, a police officer, and his two personal security officers, Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya.

The singer-composer-actor had died on 19 September while swimming in the sea in Singapore, where he had gone to attend the Northeast Festival.

A Special Investigation Team of the CID probing the case has charged festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer’s secretary Siddhartha Sharma, and two of his band members, Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta, with murder.

Garg’s cousin, who was accompanying him, has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The two PSOs have been charged with criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust by misappropriation of funds or property entrusted to them.

Guwahati Bar Association general secretary Apurba Kumar Sharma said Mahanta’s lawyer moved her bail petition, while lawyers appointed by the District Legal Services Authority filed the pleas on behalf of Garg’s cousin and the two PSOs.

“The government lawyer Bhupendra Bhattacharya strongly opposed the pleas and said that he will file an objection,” Sharma said.

He said the festival organiser’s team of lawyers from Kolkata appeared physically before the court but did not submit any bail plea.

“Siddhartha Sharma’s advocate appeared virtually before the court and sought time for hearing on framing of charges as the charge sheet is a voluminous one,” he said.

According to the CID, the charge sheet runs to 2,500 pages, while the documentary evidence submitted to the court, both in material and digital formats, exceeds 12,000 pages.

It was not known whether Goswami, the other band member, had hired any lawyer or was being represented by a DLSA-appointed advocate.

Garg’s wife, Garima, who was present during the hearing, urged the government to expedite the appointment of a special public prosecutor.

“The accused have built a strong legal team, as we can see. We also have to form our own strong team. The chief minister has said that a special prosecution team will be formed, and I request him to do so at the earliest,” she said.

She added that senior lawyers with expertise in the matter and who enjoy the confidence of the people should be appointed.

Garima also sought fast-tracking of the trial, saying there were nearly 400 witnesses in the case and that it “would take decades for progress to be made in routine hearings”.

“We have faith in our legal system, and we will fight for justice for Zubeen within its ambit,” she said.

The first hearing after the SIT submitted the charge sheet was held on 16 December at the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court. The CJM later committed the case to the sessions court for trial, which commenced on 22 December.

In all three hearings so far, the accused have appeared virtually before the court, as the police cited law and order issues if they were produced physically.