SC to Centre: Rethink Sonam Wangchuk's detention over health concerns
SC to Centre: Rethink Sonam Wangchuk's detention over health concerns
The Supreme Court asks the Centre to reconsider the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk in Jodhpur jail, citing deteriorating health and months in NSA custody.
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to rethink the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk in Jodhpur jail, citing his deteriorating health and nearly five months in NSA custody after protests in Leh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh.
The court had earlier directed authorities to subject Wangchuk to medical examination by a specialised doctor and file a report before it. The medical report was placed before the apex court at the last hearing.
During submissions, the Additional Solicitor General said Wangchuk had made provocative speeches that led to violence in Leh in 2025, a point the court noted while calling for a reconsideration on health grounds.
Lawyers for Wangchuk argued that prolonged detention under NSA is harming his health and undermines due process, while rights groups have urged transparency and humane treatment.
Observers say the court's emphasis on health signals growing scrutiny of NSA detention in sensitive border regions, and could set a precedent for similar cases in Ladakh and elsewhere.
