NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court will on Monday hear a plea filed by the wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA). She has called the detention illegal, arbitrary, and a violation of his fundamental rights.
The top court had earlier, on October 29, sought responses from the Centre and the Ladakh administration on the amended petition filed by Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo.
According to the Supreme Court’s cause list for November 24, the petition is listed before a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria.
Detention Under the NSA
Wangchuk was detained on September 26 under the NSA, two days after violent protests in Ladakh calling for statehood and Sixth Schedule status left four people dead and 90 others injured.
The administration accused him of inciting unrest.
Petition Calls Detention Arbitrary
The amended plea states that the detention order is based on old FIRs, vague allegations, and speculative claims. It argues that the order has no real or immediate connection to the grounds cited for detention.
The petition says this use of preventive powers is “a gross abuse of authority” and strikes at the heart of constitutional freedoms.
Long Public Service Record
According to the plea, Wangchuk has been celebrated for over three decades for his work in education, environmental conservation, and grassroots innovation. It claims it is unreasonable to portray him as a threat at this stage.
The petition notes that just two months before elections, Wangchuk received notices related to land lease cancellation, FCRA cancellation, a proposed CBI inquiry, and a summons from the Income Tax Department.
These actions, taken close together, indicate a “coordinated attempt” to silence him, the plea claims.
Violence Not Linked to Wangchuk, Petition Says
The plea argues that the violence in Leh on September 24 cannot be linked to Wangchuk.
It states he openly condemned the violence online, saying it threatened to derail Ladakh’s peaceful five-year struggle. He called it “the saddest day of his life.”
Delay in Sharing Grounds of Detention
The petition states that the full grounds for detention were given to Wangchuk 28 days later, violating Section 8 of the NSA.
The law requires authorities to provide grounds within five days, or ten days in exceptional cases.
About the NSA
The National Security Act allows the Centre and states to detain individuals who may act in a manner “prejudicial to the defence of India.”
The maximum detention period is 12 months, though it may be revoked earlier.
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