New Delhi: The Supreme Court will on Monday hear a plea by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife challenging his detention under the National Security Act, calling it illegal and an arbitrary violation of his fundamental rights. On October 29, the apex court had sought responses from the Centre and the Ladakh administration on her amended petition.
The court’s November 24 cause list shows the matter will be taken up by a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria. Wangchuk was detained on September 26 under the NSA, two days after violent protests for statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four dead and 90 injured. Authorities have accused him of inciting violence.
The amended plea argues the detention order is based on “stale FIRs, vague imputations and speculative assertions” with no direct or proximate link to the alleged grounds, rendering it legally untenable. It contends the action amounts to a gross abuse of preventive powers and violates constitutional liberties.
The petition says it is implausible that Wangchuk, celebrated for decades for his contributions to education, innovation and environmental conservation, would suddenly be targeted. It highlights that weeks before elections and talks between ABL, KDA and the MHA, he faced notices for land lease cancellation, FCRA issues, a proposed CBI probe and Income Tax summons.
It alleges the coordinated timing indicates the detention is not rooted in genuine security concerns but is an attempt to silence democratic dissent. The plea maintains Wangchuk condemned the Leh violence and cannot be linked to it.
It further states that complete detention grounds were provided after a 28-day delay, violating Section 8 of the NSA, which requires communication within five days, extendable to ten only in exceptional cases. The NSA permits detention to prevent acts prejudicial to India’s defence, with a maximum period of 12 months. (Agencies)
