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Journalism of Courage
Terming activist Sonam Wangchuk’s detention under the National Security Act (NSA) “a calculated attempt” to prevent him from exercising his “democratic and constitutional right to dissent”, his wife Gitanjali Angmo told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that his “continued detention…should be vitiated on account of the grave and incurable procedural lapses” as mandatory safeguards under the Act had not been complied with.
Angmo said this in an application while seeking the court’s permission to amend her writ petition challenging his detention, and raise additional grounds. Wangchuk, who is lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail, was detained on September 26, two days after four protesters were killed in police firing at Leh.
On Wednesday, a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria permitted Angmo to make the changes. “Application is filed seeking leave of this court sought to amend the writ petition to place on record additional facts, documents and also to raise additional grounds. Having regard to the averments in the application, the same is allowed,” the court stated.
“Petitioner permitted to amend the petition and file the amended copy within one week. Respondents will be at liberty to file additional statement of objections or additional counter to the amended petition…within 10 days thereafter. Rejoinder, if any, within a week thereafter,” it ordered.
Angmo, in her application, “categorically denied that” Wangchuk “has ever acted in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order or the security of the Union Territory of Ladakh”. “It is submitted that it is wholly preposterous that after over three decades of being recognized at the State, National, and International levels for his contributions to grassroots education, innovation, and environmental conservation in Ladakh and across India, Mr Sonam Wangchuk would suddenly be targeted,” she stated.
“Merely two months before the elections and the final rounds of dialogue between ABL (Apex Body Leh), KDA (Kargil Democratic Alliance), and the Ministry of Home Affairs, he was served with notices for land lease cancellation, FCRA cancellation, initiation of a CBI investigation, and summons from the Income Tax Department. These coordinated actions, taken in close temporal proximity, make it prima facie evident that the order of detention is not based on genuine concerns of public order or security but is instead a calculated attempt to silence a respected citizen exercising his democratic and constitutional right to dissent,” Angmo added.
September 24 violence ‘can’t be attributed to Wangchuk’
She contended that “the unfortunate events of violence on 24.09.2025 cannot be attributed to the actions or statements of Mr Sonam Wangchuk in any manner. In fact, there have been no provocative statements made by Mr Sonam Wangchuk on the days/ weeks prior to 24.09.2025 which could remotely be linked to the violence on 24.09.2025. There is no evidence or material on record to show that any statement made by Mr Sonam Wangchuk could have caused or led to any violent incident, especially the incident on 24.09.2025.”
The plea said that on September 24, 2025, Wangchuk was on the 15th day of his non-violent and peaceful hunger strike at the Anshan site in NDS Park, Ladakh. “At around 11 AM in the morning, a large number of people gathered at (the site). Initially, there were prayers led by monks from monasteries and some speeches. These speeches were made by Mr Tsering Lagruk, Co-Chairman, Apex Body Leh (“ABL”). Around this time, Mr Thupstan Chhewang, Chairman and other members of ABL also arrived,” it said.
‘He tried to curtail violence’
“Since large crowds began to gather, the ABL leaders decided to convene a brief meeting. The meeting took place in a nearby building and ABL decided to call off the gathering. However, by that time, the ABL leaders were informed that a faction of the youth had left the venue chanting slogans. A few minutes later, there was news of violence near the Hill Council Office. Upon hearing this, Mr Thupstan Chhewang, Mr Tsering Lagruk and other youth volunteers of ABL immediately rushed to appeal to the youth to stop the violence,” the plea added.
“Pertinently, on 24.09.2025, Mr Sonam Wangchuk was not present at any place where the violence took place. As soon as Mr Sonam Wangchuk found out about the violence, he immediately tried to curtail the violence…,” it said.
Angmo said the “complete Grounds of detention were only supplied to Mr Sonam Wangchuk after a flagrant delay of 28 days, which is in clear violation of the statutory timeline prescribed under Section 8 of the NSA.”
The court will hear the matter next on November 24.
