singapore-court-to-open-coroner-s-inquiry-into-zubeen-s-death

A Singapore court will begin a coroner’s inquiry on January 14, 2026, into the death of noted Indian singer-songwriter Zubeen Garg, who hailed from Assam, official sources from the Singapore police department informed on Monday.

 

The proceedings will be held at the State Courts as part of a judicial, fact-finding process to establish the circumstances surrounding the artiste’s death. Singapore police have said the findings of their investigations will be submitted to the State Coroner ahead of the hearing.

 

Garg died on September 19, 2025, a day before he was scheduled to perform at a cultural festival in Singapore. Police accounts said he had gone swimming in the sea off the island’s coast when he encountered difficulty. A call for assistance was received from St John’s Island, following which he was found unconscious.

 

He was rushed to hospital, where he was declared dead.

 

Also read: Trial of seven accused starts in Zubeen Garg death case

 

The Singapore Police Force has stated that investigations into the case are ongoing and that the coroner’s inquiry has been scheduled across January and February 2026. Based on preliminary findings, the police have indicated that there is no suspicion of foul play.

 

Under Singapore law, a coroner’s inquiry is a judicial proceeding aimed at determining how, when and where a death occurred. The process does not assign criminal liability, as the Coroners Act limits the court’s role to establishing facts. Such inquiries are typically conducted in open court unless there are compelling reasons for a private hearing, and they may extend over several days depending on the complexity of the case.

 

At the conclusion of the proceedings, the coroner will deliver formal findings on the circumstances of the death.

 

Zubeen Garg was among Assam’s most influential cultural figures, with a career that spanned decades and a devoted following across the Northeast and beyond. News of his death had triggered widespread shock and mourning, with tributes pouring in from across the cultural and political spectrum.