The Supreme Court has adjourned the hearing on climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s plea challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) to October 15. His wife, Gitanjali Angmo, moved the petition, claiming his arrest was illegal and violated constitutional rights
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. File pic
Days after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA), the Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned his hearing for October 15. As reported by news agency ANI, Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, filed a plea on behalf of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk seeking his release.
After hearing his bail plea, the bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria adjourned the case at the request of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was appearing for the petitioner.
The bench, while adjourning the matter, said that, "Due to the paucity of time, the matter will be taken up tomorrow on the request of the petitioner's counsel, senior advocate Kapil Sibal," as cited by the news agency.
Earlier, the bench had also sought a response from the Centre, the Union Territory of Ladakh, and the Superintendent of Police of Jodhpur Central Jail on the plea of Wangchuk's wife.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal also informed the apex court that the grounds of detention had not been supplied to the family and should be served on her.
Kapil Sibal had also said that the plea challenges the detention as illegal under Article 22, as no grounds for arrest have been supplied. He had said that without the grounds of detention, the detention order cannot be challenged.
On the contrary, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, said that the ground of detention had already been served to the detainee (Wangchuk) and there is no legal requirement for the grounds of detention to be communicated to the wife.
Wangchuk was detained earlier on September 26 and shifted to Jodhpur Central Jail in Rajasthan for allegedly inciting a violent protest in Ladakh. The climate activist was booked under the NSA after the violence in Leh, in which four people were killed and 80 others were injured.
The protesters have been demanding statehood for Ladakh and inclusion of the region in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The habeas corpus petition claimed that Wangchuk's incarceration was not legitimately related to national security or public order but rather was designed to silence a respected environmentalist and social reformer for advocating democratic and ecological causes.
According to the appeal, the activist solely engaged in peaceful protests in Ladakh, exercising his constitutional right to free speech and assembly. According to the statement, the incarceration violates Article 19's guarantee of free speech.
News agency ANI also reported that the charges were "baseless and floated with the sole object of defaming, maligning and discrediting his peaceful Gandhian movement" aimed at protecting the ecology of Ladakh.
The plea said that a "systematic campaign" had been "unleashed against" Wangchuk, alleging "links with Pakistan and China," as cited by news agency ANI.
The plea further added, "In particular, a blasphemous narrative suggesting links with Pakistan and China is being intentionally floated in certain quarters with the sole object of defaming, maligning and discrediting a peaceful Gandhian movement for the protection of Ladakh, its fragile ecology, its mountains, glaciers, and the livelihood of its people," as cited by news agency ANI.
Sonam Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo also challenged the transfer of Wangchuk to the Central Jail in Jodhpur, over a thousand kilometres from Ladakh, the site of protests.
(With inputs from ANI)
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