Wangchuk sought to quell, not incite violence, wife tells Indian SC
New Delhi: Jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, has told the Indian Supreme Court that the tenor of her husband’s speech was not to propagate violence, but to quell it, and facts are being manipulated to portray him as a criminal.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Gitanjali J Angmo also told the top court that Wangchuk was not provided with the “complete grounds” of his detention and was not given a proper opportunity to make a representation to the authority concerned against detention.
Hearing in the matter remained inconclusive and will continue on January 12.
Renowned environmentalist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk was arrested by Indian police from his residence in Leh in the Ladakh region of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, 2025, two days after protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in Ladakh, Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Angmo, told a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B Varale that Wangchuk was detained by the administration to prevent him from indulging in the prejudicial activities.
Playing a video of Wangchuk’s speech in the top court, Sibal said the climate activist made a speech while breaking his hunger strike.
“I said I cannot accept this violence, and we should stop this violence, and I am appealing to you to stop this violence. That is the video I wanted to play to your lordship,” the senior advocate said, adding that facts were being manipulated to show that Wangchuk is a “criminal”.
“Approximate causes that led to the detention order on September 26, 2025, were four videos relied upon by the detaining authorities. The videos were dated September 10, September 11, and two videos dated September 24. However, while the grounds of detention were supplied on September 29, the four videos were not furnished to the detainee,” he alleged.
Kapil Sibal submitted that the grounds of detention were only supplied to Wangchuk after a flagrant delay of 28 days, which is a clear violation of Article 22 of the Constitution. Article 22 provides protection against arbitrary arrest and detention.
Emphasising that the law mandates that if the grounds of detention are not supplied to the detenu, the detention order is “vitiated”, Sibal referred to the laws on detention and the supply of grounds.
Kapil Sibal contested the Leh administration’s reply to Angmo’s petition and argued that the pen drive containing all documents except the four videos was supplied on September 29, 2025.
Referring to one of Wangchuk’s letters dated October 21, 2025, Sibal said only screenshots and no videos were supplied to him along with the pen drive.
Wangchuk himself condemned the violence through his social media handles and categorically stated that violence would lead to the failure of Ladakh’s “tapasya” and peaceful pursuit of five years, Angmo said, adding that it was the saddest day of his life.
