Alleging a media trial, Northeast India Festival chief organiser SK Mahanta on Friday moved the Supreme Court seeking consolidation of more than 54 FIRs filed in northeastern states and transfer of the probe into Assamese singer Zubeen Garg’s death from Assam Police to the CBI or NIA under the supervision of a retired judge of the top court.

One of Assam’s most celebrated singers, Garg (52), passed away in Singapore on September 19, a day before he was scheduled to perform at the festival. Reports suggested that he drowned while swimming near an island during a yacht outing. The police have invoked murder charges against Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma and Mahanta, who were arrested from Delhi on Wednesday and are in 14-day custody of CID.

Mahanta alleged that he has been unfairly vilifi

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