The demand for a fast-track court trial has now come from the family of late singer Zubeen Garg, who has appealed for the case to be heard on a day-to-day basis so that justice is not delayed. Referring to the Chief Minister’s earlier remarks about a fast-track trial, the family has urged that a special fast-track bench be formed to take up the hearings without long gaps, especially since statements from more than 300 witnesses may need to be recorded.
The call for a speedy trial under the fast-track court system was shared through a long public message written by Zubeen’s wife, Garima Garg, who posted her statement on social media. She said the family has full faith in the justice system, but strongly believes that the case must move forward without unnecessary delay. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” she wrote, urging the authorities to make sure that the court process continues smoothly and firmly.
In her post, Garima said that the family hopes the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has submitted a strong and watertight chargesheet supported by proper evidence. She expressed hope that Government lawyers have already reviewed the chargesheet thoroughly. If anything more is required to strengthen the prosecution case, she urged the SIT and state prosecutors to reconsider the papers and take the necessary legal steps so that justice is ensured. 
She also appealed to the Government to form a strong Public Prosecutor team, supported by experienced senior advocates as legal advisors, and to provide full logistical support to them. According to her, the responsibility now lies on the prosecution to ensure that the case is presented in court in such a way that no accused person escapes punishment. She wrote that if justice is denied even to a public figure like Zubeen, then it raises larger questions about the justice available to ordinary citizens.
Garima shared that even today, it is difficult for the family to accept that Zubeen is no more. She said the incident has not only broken their home, but it also feels as if the entire state of Assam has lost its spirit. The most painful part, she said, is that the word “murder” has now come to be associated with his name, which she described as deeply tragic and unbearable.
She said that after a long investigation, the much-discussed chargesheet was filed on December 12. It is said to be one of the largest chargesheets in the state’s history. There has been widespread discussion, debate and differing opinions about it. The family also requested a copy of the document, and after waiting for some time, they finally received it.
Although she has been unwell, Garima shared that she has been trying to read the entire document slowly. She said the words in the chargesheet are extremely painful for the family, and it is difficult to go through such details repeatedly. She added that the family does not have expert legal knowledge, so they will not comment deeply on the technical legal aspects, but they want meaningful public discussion rather than negative criticism.
According to Garima, the chargesheet mentions that before the Singapore event, there were already questionable changes and manipulations regarding accommodation arrangements for Zubeen. From an SSD recovered from the residence of organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, it was found that a plan initially existed for Zubeen to share a room with Anuj Barua. Later, after the team reached Singapore, the plan was changed.
She stated that the chargesheet says that at first only one room near Shyamkanu’s room at Hotel Pan Pacific was booked for Zubeen, and later rooms were booked for the rest of the team. On the other hand, manager Siddharth Sharma reportedly said that the team was initially supposed to stay at another hotel, but accommodation at Hotel Pan Pacific was later arranged by Shyamkanu.
Garima questioned why there was so much confusion and alteration regarding the accommodation of someone who had been invited as a brand ambassador of a major cultural festival. She said that instead of clear planning, there seemed to be carelessness and manipulation, which raises doubts about intention. She emphasised that hotel bookings and such arrangements were always handled by organisers or managers during his travels, and Zubeen himself never interfered in such logistics.
She claimed that all necessary arrangements should have been finalised before leaving Assam, especially since he was a well-known public personality. She also questioned why there was no formal written agreement for such an important event, which is normally standard practice.
Garima further stated that the family came to know from the chargesheet that there was a planned concept called “One Last Tour,” where it would be announced that Zubeen would retire from live performances after a ten-city tour. She said that the family, band members, and close friends were all unaware of such a plan and questioned why such financial and promotional matters were managed informally without written records.
A key allegation raised in her message relates to the lack of medical support at the venue. She said that the chargesheet notes that despite medical facilities being available nearby, Zubeen remained unattended for 75 minutes after he got into distress. She questioned why there was such a long delay and why nobody present took proper emergency measures.
She also pointed out that safety norms on the yacht were ignored, including warnings that swimming was at one’s own risk and that no divers were available. She expressed deep pain at the thought that someone known for helping others in distress was himself left without timely assistance.
Garima wrote that in the family’s view, everyone present on the yacht must be held responsible. She said videos clearly showed how his distress was ignored. According to her, he had seizures, vomited, and showed visible signs of struggle while in the water, yet he was still encouraged to swim without a life jacket and without proper support.
She claimed that after he was pulled on board, he still did not receive proper medical treatment, and untrained people attempted CPR. She also raised questions about reported injuries and the presence of seawater in his lungs. She described the suffering he went through as deeply painful and emotionally unbearable for the family.
She used strong words to describe her anger toward those she believes are responsible, saying they behaved in an inhuman manner and that the state has lost a beloved soul because of their negligence.
In her message, Garima said that the family has already gone through years of emotional pain, referring to earlier difficult events in their lives. She wrote that they must now rely fully on the justice system and wait patiently for the legal process to reach its conclusion.
