Zubeen Garg’s family knocks on PM’s door seeking justice

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: On the eve of the 77th Republic Day of India, the family of music icon Zubeen Garg sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a special court-expedited trial in Assam and appropriate diplomatic-legal action in Singapore to ensure what they described as complete, fair, and timely justice in connection with the singer’s death in Singapore. Also, they urged the Prime Minister that no bail should be granted to the accused.

In the letter, signed by the singer’s wife, Garima Saikia Garg, sister Palme Borthakur, and uncle Manoj Kumar Borthakur, the family reiterated that their sole objective was to ensure that the truth surrounding the artiste’s death was fully established and that those guilty received the strictest punishment under the law. Emphasizing their faith in the Constitution and the rule of law, the family stated that Zubeen Garg was not only a member of their family but also a cultural voice of Assam and the entire Northeast.

The family said the authorities in Singapore had initiated proceedings suo motu, while the Indian High Commission coordinated the post-mortem and related formalities. After the family recovered from the initial shock, an FIR was lodged with the CID in Assam, following which the Assam government constituted a Special Investigation Team. Senior officers of the SIT travelled to Singapore as part of the probe.

According to the letter, after nearly three months of investigation, Assam Police filed a charge sheet exceeding 2,500 pages and, based on the evidence collected, invoked sections related to murder. Parallelly, a detailed submission was placed before the Coroner’s Court in Singapore by the singer’s uncle, seeking clarity on the sequence of events, safety measures, human decisions, and emergency response surrounding the singer’s death. The family asserted that these inquiries were legitimate and aligned with their fundamental right to pursue the truth.

Stating that they had remained in continuous engagement with authorities in both India and Singapore without any hesitation or dilution in their pursuit of justice, the family urged the Government of India to intervene on several counts.

1) Constitution of a Special Court in India to ensure focused adjudication, public confidence, and avoidance of procedural delay in the case arising from the charge sheet filed by Assam Police.

2) If necessary, appointment of more numbers of the strongest possible prosecutors to the already deputed team by the Government of Assam, including senior and experienced prosecutors with national standing, so that the case is conducted with the highest professional competence and seriousness it warrants and to expedite the process.

3) Fast-tracking of the trial through appropriate judicial and administrative measures so that justice is neither delayed nor diluted by time.

4) None of the accused should be freed on bail until and unless the complete process of justice has prevailed and the guilty should be punished.

5) Active diplomatic and legal engagement with Singapore to (i) monitor proceedings in the Coroner’s Court at the highest level; (ii) ensure that all relevant materials, testimonies, and findings are made available to Indian authorities; (iii) explore all lawful avenues for mutual legal assistance; and (iv) prevent jurisdictional complexity from becoming a barrier to truth.

The family also urged the prime minister that they seek that every action taken, every word spoken, every decision made, and every opportunity lost in the final hours of Zubeen’s life be fully and transparently examined.

Also read: Zubeen Garg Case: Two Accused Withdraw Bail Petitions