New Delhi, October 3, 2025:Gitanjali J. Angmo, wife of Ladakh-based climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk, has approached the Supreme Court of India challenging her husband’s arrest under the National Security Act (NSA). The petition comes just days after she wrote to the President, Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, Law Minister, and the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, urging Wangchuk’s immediate release.
In her plea, Gitanjali questioned whether it was “a sin to support the people’s cause,” while expressing anguish over the lack of information regarding her husband’s condition. Sharing a copy of the petition on X, she wrote:
“I have sought relief from the Supreme Court of India through a habeas corpus petition against @Wangchuk66’s detention. It has been one week, yet I have no information about Sonam Wangchuk’s health, the conditions he is being held in, or the grounds of detention.”
Arrest and Protests in Ladakh
Wangchuk was arrested on September 26 by Leh Police under the NSA following widespread protests in Ladakh, which turned violent and left four people dead and over 90 injured. He was subsequently transferred to Central Jail, Jodhpur, in Rajasthan.
The activist had earlier launched a hunger strike to demand statehood for Ladakh, job protections for locals, and constitutional safeguards. However, after violence broke out during the protests, Wangchuk called off his fast, urging restraint and peace. Despite this, authorities arrested him, accusing him of inciting unrest through “provocative statements.”
Government Action Against NGO
In a parallel move, the Union Home Ministry revoked the FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) licence of Wangchuk’s NGO, SECMOL, citing alleged financial violations. The government has also accused him of adopting an “anti-national stance” during the agitation.
Wangchuk’s Response and Wife’s Defence
Wangchuk has firmly denied the charges, arguing that the protests were a reflection of deep-rooted frustration among locals over central government policies. His wife has strongly condemned the narrative against him, dismissing the accusations as “blatant lies” and describing the arrest as part of a “witch-hunt.”
The Supreme Court is expected to hear Gitanjali Angmo’s habeas corpus petition in the coming days.
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