Govt opposes Sonam Wangchuk’s release on health grounds: 'He’s hale and hearty’

Sonam Wangchuk was detained on September 26 last year under the National Security Act following protests in Leh over demands for statehood

The Centre on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that Ladakh-based social activist Sonam Wangchuk, currently under preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA), is “fit, hale and hearty” and cannot be released on medical grounds.

Appearing for the Union government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B Varale that Wangchuk’s health has been reviewed periodically and that there was “nothing alarming” to justify his release.

Opposing any relaxation, Mehta submitted, “It will not be possible to release him on health grounds. It may not be desirable, either. We have given utmost consideration.”

He further said Wangchuk’s condition had been examined 24 times. “He is fit, hale and hearty. He had some digestive issues; he is being treated. There is nothing to worry about, nothing alarming. We cannot make exceptions like this,” the Solicitor General added.

The submissions were made during the hearing of a habeas corpus petition filed by Dr Gitanjali J. Angmo, challenging her husband’s detention under the NSA as “illegal” and an “arbitrary exercise violating his fundamental rights”.

In an earlier hearing, the Supreme Court had orally asked the Union government to reconsider the continued preventive detention of Wangchuk, particularly in view of his “not very good” health and advancing age.

The Justice Kumar-led Bench had observed that Wangchuk has been in custody since September 26, 2025, and suggested that the government “give it a thought” on whether his detention needed to continue.

Earlier this week, the top court had cautioned against granting further adjournments in the matter and had declined a request for more time from the government’s law officer. Directed that the matter be listed for hearing at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, it had told Additional Solicitor General (ASG) K.M. Nataraj: “You must understand it is a habeas corpus matter”.

The medical report was placed before the apex court during the previous hearing.

Wangchuk was detained on September 26 last year under the National Security Act following protests in Leh over demands for statehood and inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.