Hearing concludes for the day, to continue on Thursday (February 19).
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Hearing conlcudes
Sonam Wangchuk was detained on September 26, 2025, under the NSA, following which his wife approached the Supreme Court.Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Updates: The Supreme Court on Monday heard the plea filed by Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali J Angmo challenging his detention. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and P B Varale heard the matter.
What happened in the hearing? Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for Angmo submitted on February 16 that the detaining authority relied upon incorrect transcripts of the videos of Wangchuk’s speeches. He argued that the detaining authority had relied upon non-existing material since the transcripts of what transpired in the context of the speeches made by Wangchuk is not reflected on what is stated by him. The court directed production of pen drive given to Wangchuk after Sibal had claimed that four videos of his speeches cited by the detaining authority against Wangchuk were not supplied to him.
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Earlier, the Additional Solicitor-General KM Nataraj appearing for the Centre had informed the court that there was complete application of mind by the detaining authorities while detaining Wangchuk. He also submitted that after Wangchuk’s detention the agitation and violence came under control. The top court questioned the Centre on climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s claim that he was not given the four videos based on which the detaining authorities had detained him under the National Security Act (NSA), 1980.
What is the case against Wangchuk? Wangchuk was detained on September 26, 2025, under the NSA, which empowers governments to act pre-emptively against individuals seen as a threat to public order or national security. He was later shifted to Jodhpur. His detention came two days after violent protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union territory. The government had accused him of inciting the violence.
Live Updates
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Bench dictates order
Bench dictates order-
The learned senior counsel appearing for petitioner submits that the pen drive furnished to the detenue on 29.9.2025 is in his custody. As such we direct that the said pen drive in the custody of the detenue shall be obtained from the detenue by the jail authorities in the sealed box by the superintendent of jail and the additional advocate general appearing for the state of Rajasthan shall ensure compliance of this order by day after tomorrow
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: Your lordships may put it on Thursday
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: Showing the document (videos of Wangchuk's speech) is not enough. What is the document? My (Wangchuk's) speech.
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: I have a small request. Your lordships can give me another 15-20 minutes. I can finish it today
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: Then they refer to some green sheets. We have no idea of any green sheet, we have not been supplied any green sheet
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: That's the copy paste argument I have to deal with.
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: They should have placed the correct facts before the lordships. This is not fair.
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: How can anybody argue that this is application of mind
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: Exact words are repeated
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal says that the detention order is a copy paste of the recommendation by the SSP
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: Exact words are copy paste
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: Kindly see para 5 of the detention order.
Sibal reads detention order
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: There was a promise made in the manifesto and now 5 years have passed the promise has not been fulfilled, we must do something about it, what is that, what is the option that is chosen. Anshan
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: There was a promise made in the manifesto and now 5 years have passed the promise has not been fulfilled, we must do something about it, what is that, what is the option that is chosen. Anshan
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: This is the case I (Wangchuk) have never ever instigated to anyone to commit violence.
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: There is no issue of disturbance of public order. In fact when the public order is disturbed he says stop this
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Bench interjects
Bench: In a lighter vein, you must have heard Mr Sibal- humne wo sun liya jo unhone kaha hi nahi
Sibal: Hum keh rahe hai ki humne keh diya unhone suna hi nahi.
Bench: Hum sun rahe hai na
Sibal: Isliye toh hum yaha hai
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: This is a unique detention order where you rely on something which doesn't exist and then you say it is your subjective satisfaction
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal refers to Wangchuk's speech.
Sibal: Where is the question of overthrowing any elected government?
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Bench asks for actual transcript of Wangchuk's speeches
Bench: Mr Solicitor, we want actual transcript of speeches.
ASG Nataraj: We will supply
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal claims that the speech Wangchuk gave does not have any references to overthrow the present of the government.
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: What is given to the detaining authority is a transcript of a speech which doesn't exist
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: The detaining authority has relied upon material which does not exists to arrive at subjective satisfaction based on non-existing material.
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: Three of the five FIRs that have been relied upon neither named the detenue nor contained specific allegations against him, have no relevance, and are entirely unrelated to the acts of the detention.
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: That the only two acts, well this is again I made a submission, attributed to were the padyatra in September, October 24, and the incident of 24-9.
In the padyatra, no violent activity was attributed in respect of that protest and was in fact recognised in the most peaceful padyatra by media channels.
The other incident of September 24, 2025, where the detenu, by his own actions condemned violence, this is clear and evident from the record very publicly stated that any form of violence was not acceptable to him.
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: Out of the eight videos relied upon, four videos are more than 1 year old and two videos are after the incident of violence took place.
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Sibal's submissions
Sibal: Many of the documents including speeches relied upon detaining authority are unrelated to the detenue
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Senior advocate Kapil Sibal
Sibal: Some of the submissions that I made were not responded to so I have put them upfront
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Rejoinder
The court is likely to hear rejoinder arguments on behalf of Wangchuk today.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal is appearing for Wangchuk's wife Angmo.
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Hearing at 3pm
Bench posts the matter for hearing at 3pm today.
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Previous hearing
The apex court had earlier asked Centre if Wangchuk saw the four videos on which the detention order is primarily based and whether there is any endorsement to that effect by Wangchuk.
Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Live Updates: Bench
A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and P B Varale will hear the matter shortly.
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