New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to hear on 6 October a plea filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) and demanding his immediate release.

As per the apex court’s cause list, the petition will be heard by a bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria.

Wangchuk, a prominent environmentalist and innovator, was detained under the stringent NSA on 26 September, just two days after protests in Ladakh demanding statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule turned violent, resulting in four deaths and nearly 90 injuries. He is currently being held at Jodhpur Central Jail in Rajasthan.

In the habeas corpus plea — a legal petition demanding that a detained person be brought before court — Angmo questioned the invocation of the NSA, which allows detention without trial for up to a year. The plea was filed through senior advocate Vivek Tankha and advocate Sarvam Ritam Khare.

The petition described Wangchuk’s detention as “illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional”, claiming it violates his fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, 21 and 22 of the Constitution.

“Wangchuk, who has been an internationally acclaimed innovator, environmentalist, and social reformer, has always espoused Gandhian and peaceful methods to highlight the ecological and democratic concerns of Ladakh,” it stated.

The plea alleges that Wangchuk was taken into custody by the Deputy Commissioner of Leh under Section 3(2) of the NSA, while still recovering from a long protest fast. It further claims he was moved to Jodhpur jail without access to basic necessities such as medicines, personal belongings, or communication with family and legal counsel.

“No grounds of detention have been furnished till date, either to Wangchuk or to his family,” the petition said.

The plea also raised serious concerns about the treatment of Wangchuk’s associates. “The arbitrary transfer of Wangchuk to Jodhpur, the harassment of students and staff of HIAL (Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh), the virtual house arrest of the petitioner herself, and the false propaganda linking Wangchuk to foreign entities clearly demonstrate mala fide state action intended to suppress democratic dissent and peaceful environmental activism,” it stated.

Angmo added that she has effectively been placed under house arrest in Leh, while students and staff of HIAL — founded by Wangchuk — face intimidation and intrusive investigations.

The petition further highlighted the emotional toll of the activist’s detention on the local population. “A recent tragic incident has been reported where a member of the Ladakh Buddhist Association committed suicide, allegedly depressed after his (Wangchuk’s) detention, underscoring the devastating psychological impact on the community.”

The petition has named the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ladakh UT administration, the Deputy Commissioner of Leh, and the Superintendent of Jodhpur Jail as respondents. It seeks the following directions from the court:

  • To produce Sonam Wangchuk before the court immediately;
  • To quash the order of preventive detention;
  • To grant Angmo immediate in-person and telephonic access to her husband;
  • To direct the authorities to provide Wangchuk with his medicines, clothing, food and other essentials;
  • To submit a medical report on his condition;
  • To present the full order and grounds of detention before the court;
  • And to “stop immediate harassment of HIAL and its members/students who have done no harm and are tirelessly working for the benefit of the ecology.”

The court is expected to take up the matter urgently.