Zubeen Garg’s sister Palmee Borthakur condemns character assassination, urges faith in judicial process

Expressing anguish over what she described as relentless character assassination and online vilification, Palmee Borthakur, sister of Assamese cultural icon Zubeen Garg, on December 20 issued a strongly worded statement on social media, urging people to refrain from speculation and allow the judicial process to take its course.

In her post, Borthakur said she was “compelled to speak” as attacks on Zubeen Garg’s character and repeated criticism of his wife Garima Garg had crossed all limits, adversely affecting Garima’s health. She questioned the intent of what she termed “masked friends and so-called fans” who, she said, appeared to derive cruel satisfaction from spreading rumours and slander.

Stating that the family’s struggle was solely for justice, Borthakur emphasised that gossip and defamation could not replace a legal process. She said Zubeen Garg was irreplaceable, but urged people to uphold the values of courage and humanity that he stood for, adding that only then could Assam and its people truly honour his legacy.

Clarifying recent claims, Borthakur said Garima Garg had never stated that she was satisfied with the chargesheet filed in the case. She explained that Garima had only welcomed the legal provisions applied to the main accused and that the family had not yet received a signed and sealed copy of the chargesheet for a detailed reading. She reiterated the family’s faith in the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the Assam Chief Minister and the judiciary.

Addressing questions on why Garima Garg did not file a separate complaint in Singapore, Borthakur said investigations were already being conducted by authorities in both Assam and Singapore. She cautioned that parallel investigations could create conflicting narratives, noting that the Singapore Police’s findings had remained consistent so far.

Borthakur also expressed disappointment over the alleged lack of cooperation from some Assamese individuals based in Singapore, despite repeated appeals by the SIT and the Chief Minister. She specifically criticised Abhimanyu Talukdar, accusing him of displaying insensitive behaviour during media interactions. According to Borthakur, Talukdar appeared to treat Zubeen Garg’s death in a casual or mocking manner, which she said was deeply hurtful. She further urged all those present in Singapore at the time to come forward, appear before the court, and speak the truth.
Urging restraint, she said only the court had the authority to determine guilt or innocence based on evidence, and warned against prematurely branding the accused as innocent.

Highlighting the family’s grief, Borthakur said life had come to a standstill for them, even as others had returned to normalcy. She appealed to people to honour Zubeen Garg through creativity and humanity, not politics, and said only genuine admirers should raise the call for justice.