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Sonam Wangchuk
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a plea filed by Sonam Wangchuk's wife which termed the climate activist's detention under the stringent National Security Act as illegal and an arbitrary exercise violating his fundamental rights. The top court had on October 29 sought response of the Centre and the Ladakh administration on the amended plea of Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali J Angmo. As per the apex court's cause list of November 24, the plea is slated to come up for hearing before a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria. Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, two days after violent protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union Territory. The government had accused him of inciting the violence. The amended plea has said, "The detention order is founded upon stale FIRs, vague imputations, and speculative assertions, lacks any live or proximate connection to
The Supreme Court on Wednesday took on record the amended plea of Sonam Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali J Angmo challenging the climate activist's detention and sought the response of the Centre and Union Territory of Ladakh in ten days. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the UT of Ladakh, to file the response to the amended plea and posted the matter for hearing on November 24. The bench also allowed senior advocate Kapil Sibal to file rejoinder, if any. On October 15, the top court deferred the hearing on the plea of Angmo after she sought to file an amended petition with additional grounds for challenging the detention of Wangchuk, currently lodged in Central jail at Jodhpur of Rajasthan. It had noted that an affidavit filed by the jailor of Jodhpur jail stated that Wangchuk's elder brother and lawyer met the detenue. Earlier, Sibal had requested the court that Wangchuk be permitted to exchange some note
Ladakh Chief Secretary Pawan Kotwal on Friday said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) ordering a judicial inquiry into the September 24 violence in Leh fulfils the strong demand of the people of the Union territory seeking a fair and transparent probe into the incident. Addressing a key demand of the protesting Ladakh groups, the MHA on Friday announced a judicial inquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court judge into last month's violent clashes in Leh. The clashes between security forces and protesters who were demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for the Union territory left four civilians dead and 90 injured, escalating a months-long agitation. This decision reflects the government's commitment to justice and transparency," he said. Providing an update on the injured, Kotwal said five individuals, including an ex-serviceman, are currently undergoing treatment at the SNM Hospital. Doctors performed life-saving surgeries on 11 injured on the day of the incident. One of
The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned to October 29 the hearing on a plea filed by Sonam Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali J Angmo challenging the climate activist's detention after noting that she wants to amend her petition. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria noted that an affidavit filed by the jailor of Jodhpur jail has filed an affidavit that Wangchuk's elder brother and lawyer met the detenue. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Angmo, said they will file an application to amend the petition and challenge the grounds of detention. During the hearing, Sibal requested that Wangchuk be permitted to exchange some notes with his wife. The apex court noted the submission of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that he has no problem with the detainee sharing notes with his wife. The top court on October 6 had issues notices to the Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh. It, however, refused to pass any order on her plea for providing her the grounds of detention and .
The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned to October 15 the hearing on a plea filed by Sonam Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali J Angmo challenging the climate activist's detention under the National Security Act, and seeking his immediate release. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria posted the matter for hearing on Wednesday due to paucity of time. The top court on October 6 had issues notices to the Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh. It, however, refused to pass any order on her plea for providing her the grounds of detention and posted the matter for hearing on October 14. Wangchuk was detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, two days after violent protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union territory. The government had accused him of inciting the violence. The NSA empowers the Centre and states to detain individuals to prevent them from acting in a manner "prejudic
The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Monday a plea filed by Sonam Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali J Angmo challenging the climate activist's detention under the National Security Act, and seeking his immediate release. According to the apex court's cause list for October 6, the plea would come up for hearing before a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria. Wangchuk was detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, two days after protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union territory. Wangchuk is lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan. In her plea filed through senior lawyer Vivek Tankha and lawyer Sarvam Ritam Khare, Angmo has also questioned the decision to invoke the NSA against Wangchuk, which allows detention without a trial for up to 12 months. Filing the habeas corpus (bring the person) writ, the spouse of the detained activist sought urgent listing of the plea and a directio
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, has moved the Supreme Court seeking his release. Wangchuk was detained under the stringent National Security Act on September 26, two days after protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union territory. He is lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan. Angmo, in her plea filed through lawyer Sarvam Ritam Khare, has challenged Wangchuk's detention, besides seeking his immediate release. The plea also questions the decision to invoke the NSA against Wangchuk. Angmo alleged that she was yet to get a copy of the detention order, in violation of rules. Moreover, she said, she has had no contact so far with Wangchuk. Recently, the Ladakh administration rejected claims of a "witch-hunt" or a "smokescreen" operation against Wangchuk.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday targeted the BJP over the arrest of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk in connection with the violence in Ladakh last month and asserted that fighting for rights and justice is becoming an act of treason in the country. Addressing the annual Dussehra rally here, Thackeray also likened the BJP to "a single cell organism amoeba". "It spreads as per its will, forms an alliance as per its will and after the work is done it switches to another (party). It causes stomach ache when it enters the body and disturbs peace when it enters the society. Which is why I call it an amoeba," Thackeray said. There is no link between the BJP and good governance, he added. Thackeray referred to the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to conflict-hit Manipur and said the PM did not see the tears of people there. On the alliance with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Thackeray said, "What did we do on July 5 (a reference to the 'victory rally' of MNS ..
A general council member of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) has committed suicide by hanging himself at his residence, its president Chering Dorjay Lakruk said on Thursday. Stenzin Dorjay, a resident of Skitmang village, some 100 km from Leh town, was a big fan of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk who was detained under National Security Act and lodged in Jodhpur jail on September 26, Lakruk, also co-chairman of Leh Apex Body (LAB), told reporters on the sidelines of a function here. Survived by his wife and two children, Dorjay was found dead by hanging at his house early Wednesday. His brothers claimed that he was highly depressed after the September 24 violence that left four persons dead and scores of others injured. "He was a member of our general council and was linked to our movement (in support of statehood and safeguards under the sixth schedule of the Constitution). He was a big fan of Wangchuk, I know it because I saw him with Wangchuk on September 24," Lakruk said.
Ladakh's tourism sector, already reeling from setbacks earlier this season, has been dealt another blow with the curfew in Leh following last week's violence. Stakeholders said the industry was first hit by widespread cancellations after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, and the fresh disturbances have further dented travellers' confidence. An indefinite curfew was imposed in Leh town on September 24 following clashes during a shutdown called by a constituent of Leh Apex Body, which has been spearheading an agitation for statehood and the extension of Sixth Schedule to Ladakh. Four people were killed and over 150 others injured in the violence. Barring a four-hour relaxation in two phases on Saturday afternoon, the town remained under strict curfew for the sixth consecutive day on Monday with mobile internet services suspended. This has triggered booking cancellations and caused hardships to tourists and local stakeholders. "The cancellation of advance booki
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has accused the Centre of betraying both Ladakh and J-K by failing to fulfil its promises and deepening mistrust through delays in restoring statehood. Speaking at the launch of senior journalist and author Harinder Baweja's latest book, "They Will Shoot You, Madam: My life through conflict" on Sunday, Abdullah said the government had failed to follow through on its own roadmap, first for Jammu and Kashmir and now for Ladakh, alleging that the latter was misled with "impossible" assurances. "When you wanted them (Ladakh) to participate in Hill Council elections, you promised them the Sixth Schedule. Everyone knew that giving the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh was nearly impossible. A region that shares frontiers with China on one side and Pakistan on the other requires a sizeable defence presence, which the Sixth Schedule makes impossible. Yet, you made promises to get electoral participation, he stated. The 55-year-old also criticised the ..
The Ladakh administration on Friday night justified the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA), saying his series of alleged provocative speeches with references to Nepal agitation and the Arab Spring resulted in the Wednesday's violence that left four persons dead and scores of others injured. It said the detention of Wangchuk earlier during the day was important to restore normalcy in the peace-loving Leh town and also important to prevent him from further acting in a manner "prejudicial to maintenance of public order". "Today, on September 26, Wangchuk of Uley Tokpo village of Leh has been detained under NSA. Time and again it has been observed that Wangchuk has been indulging in activities prejudicial to the security of the state and detrimental to maintenance of peace and public order and services essential to the community," the Directorate of Information & Public Relations (DIPR), Ladakh said in a statement here. It said despite ..