Expressing anguish over what she described as continued character assassination and online abuse, Palmee Borthakur, sister of Assamese cultural icon Zubeen Garg, on December 20 issued a strong statement on social media, appealing to people to stop speculating and allow the legal process to run its course.
In her post, Borthakur said she felt “forced to speak out” as repeated attacks on Zubeen Garg and persistent criticism of his wife, Garima Garg, had crossed all limits and were affecting Garima’s health. She questioned the motives of what she called “masked friends and self-proclaimed fans” who, she said, seemed to take pleasure in spreading rumours and defamatory content.
Borthakur stressed that the family’s fight was only for justice and not for public sympathy, adding that gossip and slander could never replace a judicial process. While stating that Zubeen Garg was irreplaceable, she urged people to live up to the values of courage and humanity he stood for, saying only then could Assam truly respect his legacy.
She also sought to clarify recent claims circulating online, stating that Garima Garg had never said she was satisfied with the chargesheet filed in the case. According to her, Garima had only welcomed the legal sections invoked against the prime accused, and the family is yet to receive a signed and sealed copy of the chargesheet for a detailed review. Borthakur reiterated the family’s trust in the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the Assam Chief Minister and the judiciary.
Responding to questions on why Garima Garg did not lodge a separate complaint in Singapore, Borthakur said investigations were already underway in both Assam and Singapore. She warned that multiple parallel probes could lead to confusion and conflicting narratives, adding that the findings of the Singapore Police have remained consistent so far.
Borthakur also expressed disappointment over what she termed a lack of cooperation from certain Assamese individuals based in Singapore, despite repeated appeals by the SIT and the Chief Minister. She singled out Abhimanyu Talukdar, accusing him of showing insensitivity during media interactions and appearing to treat Zubeen Garg’s death in a casual or mocking manner, which she said deeply hurt the family. She appealed to all those who were present in Singapore at the time to come forward, appear before the court and speak the truth.
Calling for restraint, Borthakur said only a court of law had the authority to decide guilt or innocence based on evidence, and cautioned against prematurely declaring the accused innocent.
Sharing the family’s pain, she said their lives had come to a standstill even as others had moved on. She urged people to remember and honour Zubeen Garg through creativity and humanity, not politics, and said the call for justice should come only from genuine admirers.