NEW DELHI, November 23, 2025 : The Supreme Court will on Monday hear a petition challenging the detention of renowned climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA)—a move described by his wife as illegal, arbitrary, and a grave violation of his constitutional rights.
The plea, filed by Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali J Angmo, appears before a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria, as per the court’s cause list for November 24. On October 29, the apex court had sought responses from the Centre and the Ladakh administration on her amended plea.
Detention After Ladakh Protests
Wangchuk was detained on September 26, two days after violent protests in Leh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule safeguards for Ladakh left four dead and 90 injured. Authorities accused him of inciting the unrest—an allegation the plea strongly contests.
Plea Calls Detention Baseless, Politically Driven
The amended petition states the NSA order is built on “stale FIRs, vague imputations, and speculative assertions,” lacking any proximate connection to the alleged grounds. It argues that the detention is legally unsustainable and violates fundamental rights.
It further claims that the series of government actions—land lease cancellation notices, FCRA revocation attempts, a proposed CBI probe, and Income Tax summons—occurred “just two months before elections” and appeared coordinated.
The plea asserts that these steps indicate a “calculated attempt to silence a respected citizen” engaged in democratic dissent, rather than any genuine concern for public order.
Wangchuk Condemned Violence, Says Plea
Highlighting his long-standing global recognition in education, innovation, and climate advocacy, the petition argues it is “preposterous” to attribute violence to Wangchuk.
The plea notes that he condemned the September 24 violence through social media, warning it would derail Ladakh’s peaceful struggle. He called it “the saddest day of his life.”
Violation of NSA Timelines
The petition also highlights procedural violations—claiming that the complete grounds of detention were supplied 28 days late, far beyond the statutory limit under Section 8 of the NSA, which requires communication within 5 days (extendable to 10 days under exceptional circumstances).
NSA Overview
The NSA allows preventive detention for up to 12 months to stop activities deemed prejudicial to national defence. The plea asserts such stringent powers have been misused in this case.
