The judicial custody of five accused in the Zubeen Garg death case was extended by 14 days on Tuesday, even as the special investigation team (SIT) recorded the statement of noted Assamese writer Rita Chowdhury in connection with the probe.

The celebrated singer-composer died in Singapore on September 19 while swimming. He had travelled there to attend the North East India Festival.

So far, seven persons have been arrested in connection with his death. The five accused — Shyamkanu Mahanta, Siddhartha Sharma, Sandipan Garg and the singer’s two personal security officers (PSOs), Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya — were produced before the chief judicial magistrate’s court via video conference from Baksa jail, owing to the Chhath Puja holiday. Their custody was extended by two more weeks.

The five had been transferred to Baksa jail after their police remand ended on October 15. However, the transfer was marred by protests outside the jail, during which several security personnel were injured. Officials said the move was made due to security concerns. Two other accused, currently lodged in Haflong jail, are expected to be produced before court through video conference on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the two-member SIT team that visited Singapore last week has returned after visiting several locations linked to Garg’s death and meeting with Singaporean police officials to coordinate the ongoing investigation.

In a related development, Rita Chowdhury appeared before the SIT in Guwahati and was questioned about her podcast with Zubeen Garg, recorded just six days before his death. The uncut interview, which has since garnered over 3.1 million views on YouTube, has drawn renewed public interest for offering glimpses into the singer’s state of mind before his demise.