New details emerge in Zubeen Garg's death case: Singer was drunk, refused life jacket, Singapore police tell court | Today News

New details have emerged in Indian songwriter Zubeen Garg's death case, as a coroner's court in Singapore was told on Wednesday that the singer was “severely intoxicated” and drowned off Lazarus Island after refusing a life jacket last September.

Garg, 52, was part of a yacht party on September 19, 2025, and died of drowning a day before he was scheduled to perform at the North East India Festival in Singapore.

The chief investigating officer informed the court at the start of the inquiry, as reported by Channel News Asia, that the singer initially wore a life jacket but removed it and later declined a second one that was offered to him. At the time, Garg was also severely intoxicated, and many witnesses reportedly saw him trying to swim back to the yacht when he went limp and started floating with his face in the water, the officer told Channel News Asia.

The chief investigating officer mentioned, “When he decided to resume swimming, Garg was offered a second, smaller life jacket, but he declined to wear it. He entered the water without a life jacket and started swimming in the direction of Lazarus Island alone."

The court was also informed that the singer had a medical history of hypertension and epilepsy, with his most recent epileptic episode occurring in 2024. It remains uncertain whether he had taken his regular epilepsy medication on the day of the incident, as eyewitness accounts were deemed insufficient to confirm this.

According to the Channel report, Singapore police do not suspect any foul play in his death.

A total of 35 witnesses are scheduled to give evidence at the inquiry, including those present on the yacht, the boat captain, police officers, and paramedics.

The chief investigating officer told the court that Garg and about 20 others on the yacht, including friends and colleagues, had snacks, drinks, and alcohol on board.

Many witnesses shared seeing Garg consume alcohol. According to Channel News Asia, one witness said he had a few cups of liquor, gin, and whisky, along with sips of Guinness Stout.

The investigating officer then provided a detailed, step-by-step account of the events that day, noting that during his first swim, Garg removed his life jacket, later returned to the yacht, and was heard saying he was tired.

The officer then outlined the sequence of events in detail.

An autopsy revealed that Garg died from drowning. While some injuries were present on his body, the Channel report noted they were determined to have occurred during CPR and rescue attempts.

Tests showed the presence of his hypertension and epilepsy medications in his system, with no other drugs detected.

A toxicology report indicated that Garg’s blood alcohol concentration was 333 milligrams per 100ml, signaling severe intoxication that would have significantly impaired his coordination and reflexes, the court was told.

One witness, whose name was not disclosed by the Channel, commented on Garg’s irregular sleeping patterns.

“The evidence of several witnesses, provided via their statements to the court, stated that Garg had no suicidal tendencies and that he was not pushed into the water but had jumped in himself for a swim,” the Channel report said, quoting the court hearing.

The forensic pathologist who performed Garg’s autopsy testified that it could not be determined whether he had experienced a seizure, noting the absence of signs such as a bitten tongue.

The captain of the yacht, named the Crazy Monkey, testified that he saw two of Garg’s friends holding onto his arms as he boarded because he was unable to walk properly. The captain, who attended the proceedings with the assistance of a Mandarin interpreter, also stated in his witness account that several passengers had already been consuming alcohol before boarding the yacht.

He also stated that he had given two safety briefings and that when he saw Garg entering the water without a life jacket for the second time, he said, “I told his friend that he is drunk, and if he wants to get into the water, he needs to wear a life jacket.”

The captain confirmed that most of the passengers, including Garg, had been drinking shots.

His witness statements also described that when he saw Garg face down in the water, he quickly shouted to his friends before swimming to the singer himself.

When the captain turned Garg’s head away from the water, he observed a large amount of foam coming from his mouth and nose, accompanied by a “terrible” smell, the Channel said, quoting the captain.