21 July,2026 04:15 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Sonam Wangchuk. Pic/PTI
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the immediate transfer of activist Sonam Wangchuk from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, allowing him to receive treatment at the medical facility of his choice while continuing to remain under close medical supervision.
Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28 over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations. The order came on an appeal filed by his wife, Gitanjali Angmo, challenging an earlier decision of the High Court that had declined to interfere with his treatment at the government-run Safdarjung Hospital.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia directed that Wangchuk be shifted to Medanta Hospital without delay.
The court also instructed the hospital's director to constitute a team of doctors with the necessary expertise to continuously monitor Wangchuk's health.
The Bench clarified that the medical team would administer treatment in accordance with established medical protocols and observed that "the husband of the appellant shall abide" by the treatment prescribed by the doctors.
The High Court observed that Wangchuk should be allowed to receive treatment at the hospital of his choice, stating that such a decision was consistent with his fundamental rights under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution.
The Bench also directed that Gitanjali Angmo be permitted to visit her husband whenever she wished.
"We are concerned with (Wangchuk's) fundamental rights. Nothing to do with all that is going on," the Bench remarked while disposing of the matter.
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the Central government had no objection to Wangchuk being shifted to Medanta Hospital.
"Medanta is a reputed hospital. The government would have no objection if he is shifted to Medanta," Mehta told the court.
However, the Solicitor General also submitted that Wangchuk should not seek discharge from the hospital against medical advice.
The Bench interacted with doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), who are part of the team monitoring Wangchuk at Safdarjung Hospital, as well as Wangchuk's personal doctor.
After hearing both sides, the court observed that there was a consensus among the medical experts that Wangchuk required continuous medical supervision due to his condition.
In her appeal, Gitanjali Angmo argued that the single judge's order passed on Sunday had effectively confined Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital without any formal arrest and deprived both him and his family of the right to decide his course of medical treatment.
On Sunday, Justice Mini Pushkarna had declined to interfere with Wangchuk's treatment at the government hospital, holding that the decision to shift him from the Jantar Mantar protest site to Safdarjung Hospital could not be termed arbitrary.
Angmo had sought an urgent hearing after Delhi Police removed Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar on July 19, the 21st day of his hunger strike, and admitted him to Safdarjung Hospital.
(With inputs from PTI)
