NEW DELHI, February 23, 2026 : The Supreme Court of India on Monday adjourned till February 26 the hearing on a plea filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, wife of jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA).
A bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and P. B. Varale deferred the matter as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was unavailable to appear before the court.
Earlier, the apex court had sought the Centre’s response on whether it could reconsider Wangchuk’s detention, particularly in light of his health condition.
Centre’s Stand
The Centre, along with the Ladakh administration, has justified Wangchuk’s detention, alleging that he instigated violence in Leh on September 24, 2025, in which four people were killed and 161 injured. The government claimed that the protests occurred in a sensitive border region, necessitating preventive detention.
Additional Solicitor General K. M. Nataraj told the court that Wangchuk was responsible for provoking unrest, while Mehta had earlier argued that all procedural safeguards under the NSA were duly followed.
The Centre also alleged that Wangchuk attempted to mobilise Gen Z protesters by invoking movements similar to those in Nepal and Bangladesh, and even referred to an Arab Spring-like agitation, which had led to the overthrow of governments in parts of the Arab world.
Legal Arguments by Petitioner
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Angmo, argued that the police relied on “borrowed material” and selectively edited videos to mislead the detaining authority. He termed the detention illegal, arbitrary and violative of fundamental rights.
Angmo’s plea described it as “preposterous” that Wangchuk—widely recognised for over three decades for his work in education, innovation and environmental conservation—would be accused of inciting violence. She asserted that the incidents in Leh cannot be attributed to his statements or actions.
Wangchuk’s Response
Wangchuk, currently lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail, has denied the allegations. In a statement submitted on January 29, he said he never called for overthrowing the government and emphasised his democratic right to peaceful protest and criticism.
According to the plea, Wangchuk had condemned the violence through social media, calling it the “saddest day” of his life and warning that violence would derail Ladakh’s peaceful struggle, or tapasya, of the past five years.
The court will now take up the matter on February 26.
