SC to hear plea challenging Sonam Wangchuk’s NSA detention on Monday
Wife calls Wangchuk’s detention arbitrary, urges Supreme Court intervention
NEW DELHI, Dec 7: The Supreme Court is set to take up on Monday a petition filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, the wife of detained climate activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his incarceration under the National Security Act (NSA). Angmo has described the detention as illegal, arbitrary and a severe violation of her husband’s fundamental rights, arguing that the government’s decision lacks both logic and lawful justification.
A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria is scheduled to hear the matter. The case has already seen multiple adjournments. On November 24, the hearing was deferred after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh, sought time to respond to Angmo’s rejoinder. Earlier, on October 29, the apex court had asked both the Centre and the Ladakh administration to submit their responses to the amended petition.
In her detailed plea, Angmo has argued that the detention order is based on “stale FIRs, vague allegations and speculative claims” that do not hold any immediate or direct connection to the grounds cited for his arrest. The petition stresses that none of the accusations offer a lawful basis for preventive detention, asserting that the order collapses under legal scrutiny.
She contended that using preventive detention laws in such a manner represents an abuse of state power and undermines constitutional guarantees. According to the plea, this form of arbitrary state action strikes at the very heart of individual liberty and due process. Angmo argued that such an action is incompatible with both the letter and spirit of Article 21 of the Constitution.
The petition further underscores that Wangchuk, internationally known for his innovations in sustainable education, grassroots environmental initiatives and community-driven development in Ladakh, has earned respect for over three decades. Given his long-standing reputation for peaceful activism, Angmo maintained that the allegation that he suddenly instigated violence is wholly implausible.
She pointed out that the violent incidents in Leh on September 24, which resulted in four deaths and dozens of injuries, cannot be reasonably linked to Wangchuk’s speeches or actions. On the contrary, she said, he publicly condemned the violence, repeatedly appealing for peace and cautioning that unrest would jeopardise the region’s five-year-long peaceful struggle for statehood and Sixth Schedule protections. Angmo noted that Wangchuk had described the day of the clashes as one of the saddest of his life.
Wangchuk was detained on September 26 under the NSA, just two days after the protests turned violent. The UT administration has alleged that he played a role in inciting tensions during the demonstrations demanding greater constitutional safeguards for Ladakh. His supporters, however, have strongly contested this version, arguing that he has consistently championed non violence and community harmony.
The NSA allows the government to detain individuals for up to 12 months if they are believed to act in ways deemed prejudicial to national defence or public order. While the government can revoke detention earlier.
