SC seeks response on Sonam Wangchuk's NSA detention, hearing on 14 October

The Supreme Court of India on Monday, 6 October, sought responses from the Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh on a petition filed by Gitanjali J. Angmo, the wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) and seeking his immediate release.

The petition contends that Wangchuk’s detention is unlawful and seeks detailed grounds for his confinement. However, a bench comprising justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria refused to direct authorities to provide the grounds of detention at this stage and posted the matter for further hearing on 14 October.

Wangchuk, renowned for his work on climate change and sustainable education, was detained under the NSA on 26 September. His detention came two days after protests in Leh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh, which turned violent and resulted in four deaths and over 90 injuries.

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Why is Sonam Wangchuk in Jodhpur and not in Jammu?

The NSA, a stringent law allowing preventive detention without trial for up to 12 months in certain cases, has been invoked against Wangchuk, raising concerns among civil society groups and activists about its use against dissenting voices.

Wangchuk is currently lodged in Jodhpur Jail in Rajasthan, far from his home in Ladakh, which has added to his family’s distress. His wife’s petition argues that there is no valid justification for the continued detention and calls for immediate release on humanitarian and legal grounds.

The Supreme Court’s request for a response from the government signals that the matter will be closely examined, with the next hearing scheduled for 14 October. Legal experts note that the case could set a precedent regarding the application of preventive detention laws against activists and public figures.

Meanwhile, Wangchuk’s detention has sparked protests and expressions of concern from environmental and human rights groups across the country, emphasising the need for transparency and adherence to legal safeguards in the invocation of the NSA.

With PTI inputs