HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Nov 6: Assam Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and former Director-General of Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta resigned from his post on Thursday, citing a “conflict of interest” after Right to Information (RTI) applications were filed seeking details related to his brother Shyamkanu Mahanta, one of the accused in the death case of singer Zubeen Garg.
In a detailed Facebook post, Mahanta said he had submitted his resignation to the Governor and had earlier informed the Chief Minister’s Office about his decision.
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“You all know that my brother Shyamkanu Mahanta has been linked to the recent death of everyone’s beloved artiste Zubeen Garg. In this context, my conscience was telling me that if someone applies for any information about my brother, I should resign from my responsibilities in order to avoid any doubts and suspicions in people’s minds,” he wrote.
He said an RTI petitioner had sought information regarding government funds allocated to various cultural institutions, including those associated with Shyamkanu.
The applicant had personally written to Mahanta expressing trust in his honesty, but the CIC said he chose to step down to ensure full transparency.
“Even if I had remained in office, the applicant would have received the correct information. But I felt it necessary to ensure there was no room for misunderstanding,” he stated, adding that his decision was guided by “conscience and fairness.”
Mahanta, who took charge as CIC on April 5, 2023, after retiring as the state’s DGP, highlighted his efforts to digitise the commission’s functioning, introduce online applications, hold virtual hearings, and improve case disposal during his tenure.
His resignation comes amid the ongoing probe into Garg’s mysterious death in Singapore on September 19.
The singer-lyricist had travelled to attend the 4th edition of the North East India Festival (NEIF), where Shyamkanu Mahanta served as chief organiser.
Seven persons have so far been arrested in connection with the case — Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s cousin and Assam Police DSP Sandipan Garg, the singer’s manager Siddharth Sharma, band members Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amrit Prabha Mahanta, and two of Garg’s personal security officers, Nandeswar Bora and Prabin (Paresh) Baishya. All are currently in judicial custody.
They have been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy, and causing death by negligence.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has stated that Garg was murdered in Singapore, even as investigations continue.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam Police is probing the case following more than 60 FIRs filed across the state.
The Assam government has also constituted a one-man judicial commission headed by Justice Soumitra Saikia of the Gauhati High Court, while the Singapore Police Force (SPF) is conducting an independent inquiry. (With inputs from PTI)
