A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court by Shyamkanu Mahanta, chief organiser of the Northeast India Festival, seeking transfer of probe into the death of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg from the state police's SIT to a central agency such as the Central Bureau of India (CBI) or the the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The plea claimed that Mahanta has been subjected to a “vicious media trial” and “scapegoating” in connection with Garg’s sudden death. The plea stated that he was busy organising the three-day cultural festival in Singapore scheduled for September 19-21 and was not present at the site of Garg’s death.