Activist Sonam Wangchuk and others released, prohibitory orders withdrawn: Solicitor-General to Delhi HC

During a virtual appearance before a bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, Mehta submitted, “…order which was passed on September 30 (by the police commissioner’s office prohibiting the assembly of five or more persons) now stands withdrawn in view of changed circumstances in an order dated October 2. So far, the persons who were allegedly detained, they are out, they went to Rajghat, they were there for two hours, they gave a memorandum to MHA, which was accepted.”

This came after he made a similar submission before the Supreme Court earlier in the day.

The bench was hearing two pleas seeking the release of Wangchuk and other detainees as well as quashing the prohibitory orders. One of the petitions was filed by Mustafa Haji, legal advisor to the Leh Apex Body, for the release of Wangchuk and other members of the Kargil Democratic Alliance. The petition also sought permission for them to enter Delhi to raise “their demands peacefully” and to assemble in a designated area. The other petition was filed by Azad, a social activist part of the Wangchuk-led ‘Chalo Dilli’ climate march.

A third petition was filed by Rajneesh Kumar Sharma seeking a writ of Habeas Corpus to produce the detainees in court. His counsel, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, contested the solicitor-general’s statement. “As per my information, they were taken to Rajghat and then to Ambedkar Bhavan so they don’t have free movement. They want to sit at Jantar Mantar and raise climate awareness,” Bhushan said.

While it recorded the solicitor-general’s statement and disposed of Azad’s and Haji’s pleas, the bench kept Sharma’s plea for further consideration on Friday.

Security outside Ladakh Bhawan, where Wangchuk is staying, meanwhile, was increased on Thursday afternoon.

Sajjad Kargili, a political activist from Kargil who was also detained on Monday, alleged that Wangchuk was not being allowed to leave Ladakh Bhawan. “The situation is extremely sad, this is unconstitutional, there is high police security… The rest of us are being allowed to go in and out and meet media personnel, but Sonam Wangchuk is not being allowed to do so,” Kargili said.