It has been more than a year since Assam lost its most loved voice. For Zubeen Garg's family, it has also been a year of court dates, bail hearings and waiting.
On 28 October 2026, his wife Garima Saikia Garg and his sister Palme Borthakur walked into Lok Bhavan in Guwahati to meet Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya. They carried a seven-point memorandum with one clear message: do not let this case lose its way.
A quick look back
Zubeen Garg died in Singapore on 19 September 2025, at the age of 52. He had travelled there for a festival. His death shocked Assam. Lakhs of people lined the streets of Guwahati for his funeral, and the grief quickly turned into questions about what exactly had happened in Singapore.
Assam Police set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT). After months of investigation, it charged the accused with murder. Seven people are accused in the case, and the trial is now under way in a fast-track court. No one has been convicted, and every accused person is presumed innocent until a court decides otherwise.
What the family asked for
The memorandum does not ask the Governor to decide anything about guilt. It is about how the state fights the case. In short, the family wants the government to be firm, coordinated and quick.
Oppose bail, and challenge it where possible
The family asked the state to oppose the bail pleas of the accused, and to challenge bail that has already been granted wherever there are legal grounds to do so.
One prosecution team across all courts
The case is now being fought in three places: the fast-track trial court, the Gauhati High Court and the Supreme Court. The family wants one coordinated prosecution team to handle all of it, under the supervision of Assam's Advocate General, so that arguments in one court do not undercut those in another.
Senior lawyers and a faster trial
They also asked for senior counsel to be engaged and for the trial to be pushed to an early finish.
The family said it fully respects the independence of the courts. The Governor reportedly assured them that their concerns would be looked at with sensitivity.
The bail battle
Much of the family's worry comes from what has happened in court in recent weeks.
Two accused out on bail
Earlier in October, the Gauhati High Court granted bail to co-singer Amritprabha Mahanta and suspended police officer Sandipan Garg. Both were released from jail. After the family's memorandum, the Assam government filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court challenging those bail orders.
Two key accused before the Supreme Court
The two accused who face the most serious charges are festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta and Zubeen's manager Siddharth Sharma. Both have sought bail, and the family has opposed it. According to reports, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Mahanta's plea on 4 November and Sharma's on 6 November.
Those two hearings could shape the rest of the case. If bail is granted, the family fears the trial could slow down. If it is refused, the trial court is likely to be under pressure to move faster.
Why a Governor?
It is fair to ask why the family went to the Governor rather than the Chief Minister or the courts. The Governor is the constitutional head of the state, and the government's prosecutors act in the state's name. A memorandum to Lok Bhavan is a formal, public way of placing concerns on record at the highest level of the state, without appearing to pressure the judges directly.
It also keeps the case in the public eye. For many in Assam, Zubeen was more than a singer. He sang in Assamese, Hindi, Bengali and many other languages, recorded thousands of songs, and spoke his mind on social issues. The demand for "Justice for Zubeen" has become a movement in the state, and the family's visit was a reminder that the legal fight is far from over.
What the family is not saying
It is important to be clear about what this memorandum is and is not. It does not prove anything about the accused. The charges are the prosecution's case, and they will be tested in court. The family's allegations and fears are theirs. As a news organisation, we report them as such, and we will report the defence's side as the trial goes on.
What to watch next
- 4 November: Supreme Court hearing on Shyamkanu Mahanta's bail plea.
- 6 November: Supreme Court hearing on Siddharth Sharma's bail plea.
- The state's appeal against bail for Amritprabha Mahanta and Sandipan Garg.
- The Governor's office: whether it forwards the memorandum to the government with any direction.
We will keep following the case and update this story after the hearings.
Sources
- The Sentinel: Garima submits memorandum to Governor Acharya, seeks speedy justice
- DY365: Family submits seven-point memorandum seeking stronger prosecution
- The Statesman: Singer's wife and sister meet Assam Governor
- Outlook: Zubeen Garg's family urges Assam Governor to ensure speedy trial
- The Sentinel: Assam government approaches Supreme Court against bail
