The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a plea on October 6, 2025, filed by the wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA). Gitanjali J Angmo, Wangchuk's wife, filed a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court, asserting that her husband's arrest was illegal and unconstitutional.
Wangchuk, a Ladakhi education reformer and Ramon Magsaysay awardee known for his work in education and environmental sustainability, was arrested on September 26, 2025, following protests in Leh. He is currently held in Jodhpur Central Jail in Rajasthan. The protests erupted over demands for statehood for the Ladakh region and the implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides protections for tribal areas. Violence during the protests on September 24, 2025, resulted in the deaths of four people.
The Ladakh administration has accused Wangchuk of inciting violence and disrupting public order. They claim he made "provocative speeches" referencing protests in Nepal and the Arab Spring, and disseminated misleading videos that incited violence on September 24. The administration also stated that Wangchuk repeatedly invoked the idea of "self-immolation" in his public speeches, drawing parallels to protest tactics used in Tibet.
Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, has refuted these allegations, calling her husband's detention a "witch hunt". She alleges that the detention is inhumane and based on a police agenda. She also claims that the family has not been provided with the grounds for his detention or a copy of the detention order, and that she has been unable to communicate with him. Angmo's petition asserts that Wangchuk's detention violates his fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, 21, and 22 of the Constitution. These articles pertain to the right to equality, freedom of speech and expression, protection of life and personal liberty, and protection against arrest and detention in certain cases.
The Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL), co-founded by Wangchuk and Angmo, has also faced scrutiny, with Angmo alleging harassment, intimidation, and intrusive investigations of the institute's staff and students. She also noted that the land registration for HIAL was canceled last month.
The Supreme Court is currently in recess for Dussehra and is scheduled to reopen on October 6, when it will hear Angmo's plea for her husband's release.
