‘Millions Seeking Clarity, Lawful Action’: Zubeen Garg’s Family Urges PM Modi Fast-Tracked Trial

The family of legendary Assamese singer Zubeen Garg on Saturday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a special court and fast-tracking of the trial related to the singer’s death in Singapore

last year.

The family also sought a “proactive” engagement with Singapore to monitor court proceedings at the “highest level.

In a letter signed by Garg’s wife Garima, sister Palmee Borthakur and uncle Manoj Borthakur, the family said the singer-composer’s death has “left behind not merely a grieving family but millions of people seeking clarity and lawful action” in the matter, news agency PTI reported, adding that bail should not be granted to any of the accused until the judicial process is completed.

They noted that while the Assam Police’s CID is investigating the matter in India, authorities in Singapore are also conducting a parallel enquiry, with the family remaining in constant touch with officials in both countries.

The family has now urged the Central government to intervene to avoid procedural delays, ensure focused adjudication and maintain public confidence in the justice system.

They have sought fast-tracking of the trial through appropriate judicial and administrative measures “so that justice is neither delayed nor diluted by time,” and also ensuring that none of the accused are granted bail unless the process of justice is completed.

The family also sought the appointment of additional public prosecutors, if required, to support the five-member prosecution team already formed by the Assam government and to expedite the trial.

Further, the family requested active diplomatic and legal engagement with Singapore to closely monitor proceedings in the Coroner’s Court, ensure access to all relevant evidence and testimonies, and explore lawful avenues for mutual legal assistance so that jurisdictional issues do not obstruct the truth.

“We are a family in grief, but also citizens of a Republic founded on justice,” the family said, expressing hope that the matter would be pursued with urgency and seriousness.

Zubeen Garg Death Case

Zubeen Garg passed away in Singapore on September 19 after an alleged drowning incident. His body was flown to the national capital, Delhi, and later transported to Assam on a commercial flight that landed in Guwahati.

The CID is currently probing Garg’s death after more than 60 FIRs were lodged across the state against Mahanta, the main organiser of the Northeast India Festival in Singapore where the singer had gone to perform, and almost 10 others, including the Assamese cultural icon’s manager Sarma.

The SIT was constituted to investigate the singer’s death during the Northeast India Festival in Singapore on September 19. Authorities said Zubeen Garg died by drowning.

Subsequently, seven people, including festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, his manager Siddhartha Sharma, his cousin Sandipan Garg, musician Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, singer Amritprabha Mahanta and two Personal Security Officers (PSO), were arrested.

Out of the seven arrested in the case so far, the SIT has accused four of murder and one of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The other two have been charged with criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust by misappropriating funds or property entrusted to them.

Meanwhile, a police investigator told a coroner’s court on January 14 that Garg was “severely intoxicated” when he drowned while swimming near Lazarus Island in Singapore.

Assistant Superintendent of Police David Lim, from the Police Coast Guard, testified that Garg had consumed alcohol and refused to wear a life jacket before entering the water from a yacht on September 19, 2025. Garg, who was in Singapore to perform at the North East India Festival the following day, later became motionless and was seen floating face down as his friends tried to persuade him to swim back to the vessel, The Straits Times reported.

(With inputs from PTI)