New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India will on October 6 hear a petition filed by Geetanjali Angmo, wife of noted climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) and seeking his immediate release.
The plea, listed before a bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria, questions the legality and necessity of Wangchuk’s detention, which was ordered by the Ladakh administration earlier this year. Angmo’s petition contends that the activist’s arrest was arbitrary, unconstitutional, and aimed at silencing dissent in the Union Territory.
Wangchuk, a globally recognised environmentalist and innovator, was detained for allegedly making “inflammatory statements” and inciting public unrest during a demonstration in Ladakh. Authorities accused him of provoking a crowd that later turned violent during protests related to demands for constitutional safeguards, including statehood and protection under the Sixth Schedule for Ladakh.
In her plea, Geetanjali Angmo argues that the NSA was invoked in a politically motivated manner and that her husband’s peaceful activism cannot be equated with threats to public order or national security. She has urged the court to quash the detention order and direct his release from custody.
Legal experts note that the Supreme Court’s intervention could have significant implications for the use of preventive detention laws in politically sensitive regions. The petition has also drawn wide attention from rights groups and environmental activists across the country, who view Wangchuk’s detention as a blow to the freedom of expression and environmental advocacy.
The apex court bench is expected to take up the matter for preliminary hearing on Monday and may seek a response from the Union Territory administration on the circumstances leading to Wangchuk’s detention. [KNT]
