Ladakh Violence: SC Adjourns Hearing On Plea Of Wangchuk’s Wife Challenging His Detention To Oct 15

The Supreme Court on Tuesday postponed the hearing on a plea filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his detention under the National Security Act and seeking his immediate release.

The matter has been rescheduled for October 15.

Hearing Postponed Due To Time Constraints

A bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria deferred the hearing to the following week owing to limited time. The case was initially listed for hearing on Wednesday, October 14.

Earlier, on October 6, the Supreme Court had issued notices to the Centre and the Union Territory administration of Ladakh regarding Wangchuk’s detention. However, the court had declined to pass any order on the plea seeking disclosure of the grounds of his detention and adjourned the matter for further hearing.

Background

Sonam Wangchuk was detained on September 26 under the stringent NSA, just two days after violent protests erupted in Ladakh. The demonstrations, demanding statehood and 6th Schedule status for the Union Territory, resulted in four deaths and nearly 90 injuries.

The government accused Wangchuk of inciting the violence. The NSA allows authorities to detain individuals to prevent acts deemed “prejudicial to the defence of India” for up to 12 months, though the detention can be revoked earlier. Wangchuk is currently held in Jodhpur jail, Rajasthan.

Plea Seeks Immediate Release & Access

In her plea, Wangchuk’s wife has challenged the very invocation of the NSA against her husband. Filing a habeas corpus writ, she urged the court for urgent hearing and sought directions to the Ladakh administration to produce Sonam Wangchuk before the court immediately.

The plea also demands that Wangchuk be granted immediate access and calls for the quashing of the preventive detention order.

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