Supreme Court orders specialist medical check for Sonam Wangchuk

The Supreme Court ordered a specialist medical examination of detained climate activist Sonam Wangchuk after he complained of stomach problems due to contaminated water. The court directed jail authorities to submit his medical report in a sealed cover by Monday

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed a medical examination by a specialist doctor of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk after he complained of stomach issues due to water contamination.

Fifty-nine-year-old Wangchuk is under detention in the Jodhpur Central Jail.

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A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and P B Varale also directed the jail authorities to furnish Wangchuk’s medical report in a sealed cover by Monday.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo, told the court that an application seeking directions to the jail authorities for immediate medical examination of the activist has been filed.

“He has problems in his stomach because of the water. He has been wanting a doctor to check, but nobody comes.

“Let him have a weekly check. And let him have the water we provide,” Sibal submitted.

The counsel appearing for the Rajasthan government, however, said that Wangchuk has been examined by the jail doctor 21 times in the past four months.

The top court, however, said that he needs a specialist doctor such as a gastroenterologist.

The counsel appearing for the Rajasthan government informed the court that Wangchuk has been advised Vitamin B12 and there was nothing wrong in his latest report.

Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj placed on record Wangchuk’s medical report, which showed that from September 26 to January 26, the activist had been examined 21 times.

Nataraj said the latest medical examination report indicates that the blood pressure is normal and even the clinical examination of the chest and the abdomen is clean.

The apex court recorded Nataraj’s statement that Wangchuk will be examined by a specialist from a government hospital and a report will be filed in a sealed cover by Monday.

Wangchuk was detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on September 26 last year, two days after violent protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union Territory. The government has accused Wangchuk of inciting the violence.

The NSA empowers the Centre and states to detain individuals to prevent them from acting in a manner “prejudicial to the defence of India”. The maximum detention period is 12 months, though it can be revoked earlier.