Zubeen Garg death case: Garima Garg raises concerns over delays

Guwahati: The court on Saturday held the third hearing in the case related to the death of cultural icon Zubeen Garg, with his wife Garima Saikia Garg present to closely follow the proceedings.

Speaking to the media after the hearing, Garima expressed concern over repeated adjournments and warned that frequent delays could prolong the trial significantly.

“If the case keeps getting dates every 15 days, it may take years to conclude. There are 396 witnesses, and examining them alone will take a long time,” she said.

Garima also questioned the legal strategy adopted by the defence and said she sensed no remorse during the proceedings.

“They are taking a very strong stand by engaging lawyers from outside the state. We expect the government to respond with an equally strong prosecution team of senior advocates and experts. Otherwise, justice will suffer,” she said.

She said she has appointed a lawyer to assist her in the case and alleged lapses in the preparation of the chargesheet, stressing the need to fix accountability.

During the hearing, key accused Shyamkanu Mahanta and Siddharth Sharma appointed lawyers. Meanwhile, accused Sandeepan Garg and Paresh Baishya continue to be represented by legal aid counsel.

Senior advocate Anand Kumar Bhuyan appeared for accused Amritprabha Mahanta and moved a bail petition.

The court also took serious note of the circulation of uncertified copies of the chargesheet on social media, observing that such dissemination is not permissible under law.

The court noted that earlier, Akhil Gogoi and others had shared uncertified copies of the document online. Acting on a complaint, it directed authorities to ascertain how the chargesheet was accessed and circulated. A separate hearing has been scheduled on the issue.

The first hearing in the high-profile case was held on December 16, followed by the second on December 22.

Earlier, the Bar Association had reportedly announced that no lawyer would represent the seven accused, adding complexity to the proceedings.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Garima addressed her first official press conference since Garg’s demise. She announced the formation of the Zubeen Garg Trust, saying the late singer’s Kharghuli residence would serve as its base for social and cultural initiatives