Supreme Court Again Urges Centre To Reconsider Sonam Wangchuk's Detention

The Supreme Court once again asked the Central government to reconsider the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk after noting concerns about his deteriorating health. 

During the hearing, the Centre told the Court that Wangchuk is currently receiving treatment at AIIMS Jaipur, which it claimed is better than the medical care available in Ladakh.

When the Centre sought a week's adjournment, explaining that Solicitor General KM Nataraj was busy in another matter, the bench reminded the government that this is a habeas corpus plea, which cannot be postponed for long. 

The matter has now been posted for Wednesday.

Justice Aravind Kumar asked the Centre whether there had been any progress on the question of releasing Wangchuk on health grounds. The Additional Solicitor General, however, said Wangchuk's health was fine. In response, Wangchuk's lawyer told the Court that his condition remained poor and had not improved.

Wangchuk was detained on September 26 last year, two days after violent protests in Ladakh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status. The clashes left four people dead and 90 injured. The government accused him of inciting the violence.

Earlier also, the Supreme Court had asked the Centre to explore whether it could relook at Wangchuk's detention in view of his health. The bench of Justices Kumar and Varale noted that his medical report was not satisfactory and instructed ASG Nataraj to seek clear instructions from the government on the matter.

On February 3, the Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh administration told the Supreme Court that Wangchuk was detained for instigating people in a border area where regional sensitivity is involved.

Justifying Wangchuk's detention, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had told a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale that all procedural safeguards were followed while ordering his detention under the National Security Act (NSA).

Contending that Wangchuk has been given fair treatment, Mehta said all the provisions of the NSA have been scrupulously complied with.

The Centre had also said that Wangchuk tried to instigate Gen Z for protests like in Nepal and Bangladesh.

Mehta had said that Wangchuk even referred to Arab Spring-like agitation which has led to the overthrow of multiple governments in countries of the Arab world.