Supreme Court Questions Detention of Activist Sonam Wangchuk

The Supreme Court of India is reviewing the legality of the preventive detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been held in Jodhpur jail since September 26, 2025. The government detained Wangchuk under the National Security Act following violent protests in Leh on September 24, 2025, where demonstrators demanded statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh. These protests resulted in four deaths and dozens of injuries.

During hearings on February 11 and 12, 2026, a bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale questioned the government's interpretation of Wangchuk's speeches. The court suggested the government was reading too much into remarks where Wangchuk expressed concern over youth abandoning non-violent methods. However, government lawyers argued that Wangchuk was the chief provocateur who instigated youth by citing examples of unrest in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

The government, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, rejected requests to release Wangchuk on medical grounds. Mehta asserted that Wangchuk is fit and hearty, describing his gastrointestinal infection as a minor issue that does not warrant an exception to his detention. He noted that Wangchuk has undergone 24 medical examinations per the jail manual.

Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, filed a habeas corpus petition challenging the detention as illegal and arbitrary. The court has taken custody of original detention records and requested copies of Wangchuk's videos for further examination, with rejoinder arguments scheduled for February 16.