The Gauhati High Court noted, in the course of its proceedings, that a number of medical protocols laid out for Zubeen Garg appeared on a prima facie basis to have gone unobserved in the period leading up to his death, and that the range of health conditions he carried would ordinarily have warranted continuous personal care. The remarks were contained in a written bail order for Amritprava Mahanta.
The filing reached the court's records on Monday, with bail having been approved the preceding Friday. Justice Pranjal Das remarked from the bench that while every human life holds value, Zubeen Garg's held a particular place of importance for the Assamese community and the people of Assam.
Justice Das noted that Zubeen's pre-existing health conditions made around-the-clock attendance by a dedicated personal caretaker or medical attendant an advisable arrangement. The judge further stated that such a person's sole duty would have been to administer prescribed medications on schedule and to ensure the treatment protocol set out by doctors at Nemcare Hospital and in Mumbai was followed without deviation.
The presiding judge observed that, upon Garg's admission to Nemcare Hospital in Guwahati and subsequently to a facility in Mumbai, treating physicians put in place a structured post-discharge care plan outlining the steps to be followed after he left hospital. The guidelines covered a range of behavioural and medical requirements — among them refraining from alcohol, securing sufficient rest, staying away from open water and fire, forgoing driving, and maintaining consistent use of prescribed medications, seizure treatment included — as well as neurological and physical evaluations ahead of any overseas travel or demanding engagements.
The bench noted, on the basis of materials then before it, that a preliminary reading pointed to multiple of those requirements having gone unmet. The court noted that post-mortem and forensic findings pointed to alcohol in Zubeen's system, his entry into the sea, and what the documents described as a likely lapse in taking his anti-seizure medication on 19 September 2025.
The court added that whether any protocol breaches occurred, whether the accused bore responsibility for them, and whether those breaches carried criminal weight were all matters reserved for determination at trial. Questions of individual culpability for the alleged violations — and whether those violations carry criminal consequences — were left for the trial court to resolve.
Concluding the bail order in Amritprava's favour, Justice Das remarked that her music had taken root in the public consciousness in a way that would endure across generations.
