A Singapore court is set to open a coroner’s inquiry on January 14, 2026, into the death of Indian singer-songwriter Zubeen Garg, according to local media reports.
The inquiry will be held at the State Courts as part of a fact-finding process to determine the circumstances surrounding Garg’s death. Singapore police have said that the findings of their investigations will be submitted to the State Coroner ahead of the hearing.
Garg died on September 19, 2025, a day before he was scheduled to perform at a cultural festival in Singapore. Police stated that he had gone swimming in the sea off Singapore’s island coast when he encountered difficulty. He reportedly made a call for assistance from St John’s Island and was later found unconscious.
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He was taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead.
Singapore police had earlier said that investigations into Garg’s death were ongoing and that a coroner’s inquiry had been scheduled for January and February 2026. Based on preliminary findings, the police stated that there was no suspicion of foul play.
Under Singapore law, a coroner’s inquiry is a judicial, fact-finding proceeding conducted to establish how, when, and where a death occurred. The Coroners Act does not empower the court to determine criminal liability. Such inquiries are generally held in open court unless there is sufficient reason for them to be conducted privately, and hearings may extend over multiple days depending on the complexity of the case.
At the conclusion of the inquiry, the coroner will present findings on the circumstances surrounding the death.
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