Mehta to continue his submissions tomorrow.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Hearing concludes
Gitanjali J Angmo, the wife of jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, had approached the Supreme Court against his detention.Sonam Wangchuk Hearing News Updates: The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard the plea challenging the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA). A bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Prasanna B Varale heard the matter at around 2.30pm.
What happened in the hearing: SG Tushar Mehta, on February 2 (Monday), appearing for the Centre argued that Wangchuk is a person who is instigating people in border area bordering Pakistan and China. He is instigating people who are in the sensitive border areas, the SG said.
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 News Live Updates: Hearing concludes
Bench posts matter for Feb 4, 2.30pm.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Bench interjects
Bench: Sibal's main arguments was that the grounds were 'cut, copy, paste'.
Mehta: I am given information by several sources. Suppose somebody were to show the order of the court that Mr. so and so has misbehaved with the court, it is not necessary that I write or paraphrase the whole thing in my own way. I say that I have read it and am satisfied that this does make out a case for my exercise of my power. It would have been a separate issue if we would have not said anything and just signed it that I agree on it.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta: Now five minutes left.
Bench says you carry on. We will finish it.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Bench: You can claim privilege under evidence act?
Mehta: I am not going into that procedure, not invoking
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates:
Bench: Are you saying that you have some inputs which you have not disclosed to him and which is with you?
Mehta: No I am not saying that.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta: There are several confidential things mentioned in the intelligence inputs. There is a statutory protection that this you need not supply, grounds you must supply.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta: Last is section 9 and 10.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta: In this case they have been given (grounds of detention) immediately
Bench: They are not complaining on this at all.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta: Those provisions are to prevent abuse, intentional or unintentional.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta: One of the aspects of the screening is inbuilt checks and balances.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates:
Section 8 of India's National Security Act (NSA) 1980, titled "Grounds of order of detention to be disclosed," mandates that authorities must tell a detained person the reasons for their detention as soon as possible, usually within five days (extendable to fifteen in exceptional cases), and give them a chance to make a representation against the order to the government, ensuring a crucial right to challenge preventive detention.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta: Reads section 8.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta: Reads section 5.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta: The argument was that why he was taken to Rajasthan. The answer lies in section 5 of the NSA.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta: Look at the screening, these are all fair.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta: If the state government is satisfied, it can amend the time of detention up to three months.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta: I have earmarked those statements for My lords to see.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta: I will show only five sections which makes a complete comprehensive scheme to ensure that a person who is detained under these Acts gets a fair treatment.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
I will show only five sections of the NSA. Reads section 3 of the NSA.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Every word will have contextual meaning. Every state has region specific contextuality.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Bench interjects
Bench: According to you all these talks constitute threat to the country?
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Your lordships is dealing with a person who is instigating people in border area bordering Pakistan and China. If needed I have connections all over the world, he had said.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
He is instigating people who are in the sensitive border areas.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Mehta refers to video transcripts.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Mehta submits
Even a Tibet has an autonomous body, Wagchuk had said. Again Gandhiji comes in. It's like a sandwich.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta begins arguments
Mehta says yesterday he left last two videos of Wangchuk.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Bench assembles
Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B Varale arrive in the courtroom.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Item number 49
The matter is listed as item number 49 to be heard by the bench at around 2.30pm.
Sonam Wangchuk News Live Updates: Centre to continue submissions
Mehta will continue with his submissions today in response to the arguments of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who is representing Angmo.
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