Supreme Court Issues Notice on Detention of Sonam Wangchuk
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has issued a notice to the Central Government and the Union Territory of Ladakh regarding a petition filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, the wife of Sonam Wangchuk, who is currently detained under the National Security Act (NSA). The court declined to issue an interim order directing authorities to provide Angmo with the grounds for her husband’s arrest, which were reportedly given to Wangchuk himself.
The hearing for the case is scheduled for October 14. The Court inquired why Angmo should not also be allowed to receive the grounds for Wangchuk’s detention. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the bench, consisting of Justices Aravind Kumar and N. V. Anjaria, that he would explore the possibility of providing Wangchuk’s family with the necessary grounds for detention.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Angmo, asserted that she has been denied the opportunity to meet her husband. The Supreme Court advised her to approach the appropriate authorities and indicated that she could return to the court if her request was denied. Sibal argued that without the grounds for detention, challenging the arrest would be impossible.
Mehta refuted the allegations regarding Angmo’s access, stating that 12 individuals had already been allowed to meet Wangchuk. The bench reiterated that, according to existing judicial precedents, the grounds of detention should be shared with Wangchuk’s wife as well. Mehta clarified that the law mandates the grounds to be provided to the detenue but added, “We will examine it. No issues as such, but we don’t want them to create a new ground to challenge the detention order.”
During the proceedings, Mehta mentioned that sensationalism in the media had been created around the case, a claim that Sibal strongly contested. The two could be seen exchanging counter-arguments until the bench intervened, urging them to maintain a level-headed discourse. Sibal humorously remarked that Mehta’s provocations had led him to respond emotionally.
Wangchuk was detained under the NSA on September 26, following protests in Ladakh that demanded statehood and Sixth Schedule status, which resulted in four fatalities. Angmo has also sought intervention from President Droupadi Murmu regarding Wangchuk’s release.
