SC seeks response from Centre, Ladakh UT on Wangchuk wife’s plea

The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Centre and Ladakh UT on Sonam Wangchuk’s wife’s plea challenging his detention under the NSA. Wangchuk’s wife seeks immediate release, access, and quashing of the detention order amid ongoing protests in Ladakh

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Centre and Union Territory of Ladakh on a plea filed by Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, challenging the climate activist’s detention under the National Security Act, and seeking his immediate release.

However, a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria refused to pass any order on providing grounds of detention to Wangchuk’s wife and posted the matter for hearing on October 14.

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Wangchuk was detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, two days after protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union territory.

Wangchuk is lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Wangchuk’s wife, sought directions from the apex court that the grounds of detention should be served on her.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the grounds of detention have been served on the detenue (Wangchuk). Mehta stated that there is no legal requirement for the grounds of detention to be given to the wife.

Sibal pressed for an interim order for the supply of grounds, saying a detention order cannot be challenged without a copy. Justice Kumar then said, “At this stage, we will not say anything.” The bench, however, noted the submission of the Solicitor General that he would examine the feasibility of the supply of grounds of detention.

Mehta stated that the petitioner was trying to create a “hype” and an “emotive issue” that Wangchuk was denied medical relief and meetings with his wife. In her plea filed through senior lawyer Vivek Tankha and lawyer Sarvam Ritam Khare, Angmo has also questioned the decision to invoke the NSA against Wangchuk, which allows detention without trial for up to 12 months.

Filing the habeas corpus (bring the person) writ, the spouse of the detained activist sought urgent listing of the plea and a direction to the Ladakh administration to “produce Sonam Wangchuk before this court forthwith”. It also sought immediate access to the detainee and quashing of the preventive detention order.

The plea, which named the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ladakh UT administration, the deputy commissioner of Leh, and the Jodhpur jail superintendent as parties, also sought a direction to them to “allow immediate access of the petitioner to her husband, both telephonic and in person”.

The plea alleged that Wangchuk’s detention was “illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional”, violating the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19, 21, and 22 of the Constitution.

“Wangchuk, who has been an internationally acclaimed innovator, environmentalist, and social reformer, has always espoused Gandhian and peaceful methods to highlight the ecological and democratic concerns of Ladakh,” it said.

On September 26, Wangchuk was detained by the deputy commissioner of Leh under Section 3(2) of the NSA, as he was recovering from a prolonged fast to highlight Ladakh’s demand for constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule.

He was swiftly shifted to the Central Jail in Jodhpur without being provided medicines, personal belongings, or access to his family and counsel, the plea said. No grounds of detention have been furnished to date, either to Wangchuk or to his family, the petition submitted.

His wife alleged that she has been kept under virtual house arrest in Leh, while students and staff of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), founded by Wangchuk, are facing harassment, intimidation, and intrusive investigations.

“The arbitrary transfer of Wangchuk to Jodhpur, the harassment of students and staff of HIAL, the virtual house arrest of the petitioner herself, and the false propaganda linking Wangchuk to foreign entities clearly demonstrate mala fide state action intended to suppress democratic dissent and peaceful environmental activism,” the plea submitted.

Wangchuk’s detention has also inflicted severe mental pain and anguish on the people of Ladakh, who revere him as their leader, it stated. “A recent tragic incident has been reported where a member of the Ladakh Buddhist Association committed suicide, allegedly depressed after his (Wangchuk’s) detention, underscoring the devastating psychological impact on the community,” it said.

“Direct respondents to ensure that Sonam Wangchuk is provided with his medicines, clothes, food, and other necessities forthwith,” the plea said. It also sought a direction to the authorities to place before the top court “the order of detention along with grounds of detention and all records pertaining thereto”. It sought a direction to the respondents to produce a medical report of Wangchuk, after immediate doctor consultation, before the court.

“Stop immediate harassment of HIAL and its members/students who have not harmed and are tirelessly working for the benefit of the ecology,” the plea said.