New Delhi: A habeas corpus petition has been filed in the Supreme Court by Gitanjali Angmo, wife of activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his recent detention under the National Security Act (NSA).
The petition was filed on Thursday under Article 32 of the Constitution and the Court is expected to take it up soon after it reopens after the Dussehra break on October 6.
Wangchuk is currently being held in Jodhpur Central Jail, Rajasthan, after being detained on September 26 in connection with protests demanding statehood for Ladakh.
Wangchuk, a Ramon Magsaysay awardee known for his work in education and environmental sustainability, was taken into custody after protests in Leh turned violent on September 24, leading to the deaths of four people during police firing. Authorities allege that Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike at that time, played a key role in inciting the demonstrations.
The government also blocked foreign funding of his NGO and started a probe into his visits to Pakistan and Bangladesh. It was also alleged that he was in touch with a Pakistani Intelligence Operative.
The Ladakh administration, on September 30, issued a statement justifying Wangchuk’s detention, accusing him of repeatedly invoking the idea of “self-immolation” in his public speeches, drawing parallels to protest tactics used in Tibet. Officials claim this rhetoric posed a serious threat to public order.
The administration confirmed that the “grounds of detention” were formally served to Wangchuk, who remains incarcerated under the NSA – a law that allows for preventive detention in cases involving national security or public order concerns.
Angmo, In a public statement, said that she has not been able to speak with her husband or access a copy of the detention order. She is co-founder of the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL) with Wangchuk. Notably, HIAL’s land registration was cancelled by the administration just last month.