3 months ago
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The Supreme Court connected Monday (February 23, 2026) adjourned the proceeding connected a petition filed by Gitanjali J. Angmo, woman of jailed clime activistic Sonam Wangchuk, to February 26 against her husband’s detention nether the National Security Act.
A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and P.B. Varale deferred the substance arsenic Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was not disposable for the hearing.
‘Relook astatine detention’
Earlier, the apical tribunal had asked the Centre if determination was immoderate anticipation for the authorities to person a relook astatine the detention of Mr. Wangchuk, considering his wellness condition.
Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj had submitted that the activistic was liable for unit successful Leh connected September 24 past year, successful which 4 radical died, and 161 were injured.
The Centre and the Ladakh medication had told the tribunal that Mr. Wangchuk was detained for instigating radical successful a borderline country wherever determination sensitivity was involved.
Procedural safeguards followed: Centre
Justifying Mr. Wangchuk’s detention, Mr. Mehta had told the Bench that each procedural safeguards were followed portion ordering his detention nether the National Security Act (NSA).
The NSA empowers the Centre and States to detain individuals to forestall them from acting successful a mode “prejudicial to the defence of India”. The maximum detention play is 12 months, though it tin beryllium revoked earlier.
The Centre had said that Mr. Wangchuk tried to instigate the Gen Z for protests akin to Nepal and Bangladesh.
Mr. Mehta had said that the jailed activistic adjacent referred to an Arab Spring-like agitation, which led to the overthrow of aggregate governments successful countries successful the Arab world.
On January 29, Mr. Wangchuk, who is lodged successful Jodhpur Central Jail, denied allegations that helium made a connection to overthrow the authorities similar the Arab Spring, emphasising that helium had the antiauthoritarian close to criticise and protest.
Senior advocator Kapil Sibal, appearing for Ms. Angmo, submitted that constabulary relied connected “borrowed material” and selective videos to mislead the detaining authority.
Ms. Angmo has termed Mr. Wangchuk’s detention amerciable and an arbitrary workout violating his cardinal rights.
Mr. Wangchuk was detained connected September 26 past year, 2 days aft convulsive protests demanding Statehood and Sixth Schedule presumption for Ladakh near 4 radical dormant successful the Union Territory. The authorities accused him of inciting the violence.
The petition said it is wholly “preposterous” that Mr. Wangchuk would abruptly beryllium targeted aft much than 3 decades of being recognised astatine the State, nationalist and planetary levels for his contributions to grassroots education, innovation and biology conservation successful Ladakh and crossed India.
Ms. Angmo claimed the unfortunate events of unit successful Leh past twelvemonth cannot beryllium attributed to the actions oregon statements of Mr. Wangchuk successful immoderate manner.
He himself had condemned the unit done societal media posts, categorically saying that unit would pb to the nonaccomplishment of Ladakh's tapasya (penance) and peaceful pursuit of 5 years, Ms. Angmo said, adding that it was the “saddest day” of his life.
