Sonam Wangchuk Taken to AIIMS Jodhpur for Gastro Exam
Sonam Wangchuk Taken to AIIMS Jodhpur for Gastro Exam
Supreme Court orders specialist evaluation as jailed activist Sonam Wangchuk is taken to AIIMS Jodhpur for a gastroenterology check, with health concerns linked to jail water.
Activist and scientist Sonam Wangchuk, jailed in Jodhpur Central Jail since September 27, 2025, was taken to AIIMS Jodhpur for a medical examination early Saturday morning, January 31, 2026. He spent about an hour and a half in the hospital’s gastroenterology department before being escorted back to the prison. AIIMS sources say he has been experiencing stomach-related issues and had visited the hospital on January 30 for tests.
The Supreme Court, hearing a petition filed by his wife, has requested his medical report by February 2. A bench comprising Justices Arvind Kumar and P. B. Varale directed jail authorities to ensure a gastroenterologist examines him at a government hospital. The Additional Solicitor General for the Rajasthan government said jail doctors had examined him 21 times in the past four months, with the latest check-up on January 26.
Sibal argued that the stomach pain is linked to the water quality in jail. The court accepted the argument and ordered specialist treatment according to the patient’s needs.
Police transported Wangchuk from Jodhpur Central Jail to the emergency department at AIIMS on Saturday morning as directed. He was kept there for about 90 minutes before being escorted back to custody.
Wangchuk has been vocal about his deteriorating health in detention, and the ongoing legal challenge to his detention under the NSA continues to unfold. The case highlights concerns about prisoner health and access to specialist care while in custody.
