Supreme Court Issues Notice on Sonam Wangchuk’s NSA Detention, Sets Hearing for October 14

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Monday issued notices to the Centre, the Union Territory administration of Ladakh, and the Superintendent of Police, Jodhpur Central Jail, in response to a plea filed by Gitanjali Angmo, wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) and seeking his immediate release. The matter has been listed for hearing on October 14.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Angmo, argued before the Court that the grounds of detention had not been provided to the family. In response, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that the grounds had already been served to Wangchuk and assured the Court that he would examine the possibility of providing a copy to his wife.

Wangchuk was arrested on September 26 for allegedly inciting youth, which allegedly led to violent protests in Leh. The protests, organized by the youth wing of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), were demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule. The unrest on September 24 resulted in the deaths of four people.

In the aftermath, the Ladakh administration has initiated a magisterial inquiry to investigate the causes of the violence, identify those responsible, and assess the response of law enforcement agencies during the protests. Officials have emphasized that the probe aims to ensure accountability and restore public confidence.