The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing on a petition filed by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA). The matter will now be heard on October 29 after the bench noted that the petitioner intends to amend her plea.
A bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria recorded that the jailor of Jodhpur jail has filed an affidavit stating that Wangchuk’s elder brother and his lawyer had met him in custody.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Angmo, informed the court that they would file an application to amend the petition to specifically challenge the grounds of detention. During the proceedings, Sibal also requested that Wangchuk be allowed to exchange some notes with his wife.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, stated that there was no objection to the detainee sharing notes with his wife. The bench took this submission on record.
Earlier, on October 6, the apex court had issued notices to the Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh, but declined to pass any interim order on Angmo’s plea seeking a copy of the detention grounds. The matter was then posted for October 14.
Sonam Wangchuk, a well-known climate activist and education reformer from Ladakh, was detained under the NSA on September 26, two days after violent protests in Ladakh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status left four people dead and around 90 injured. Authorities have accused him of inciting the violence.
He is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail, Rajasthan.
The National Security Act empowers the Central and state governments to detain individuals to prevent them from acting in a manner “prejudicial to the defence of India.” The maximum detention period under the Act is 12 months, though it can be revoked earlier.
