Delhi high court refuses to interfere with Sonam Wangchuk's treatment

Delhi High Court declined interim relief on Sonam Wangchuk's plea to shift to a private hospital, saying Safdarjung doctors are monitoring his condition

The Delhi High Court on Sunday refused to interfere with activist Sonam Wangchuk's treatment at Safdarjung Hospital here.

Justice Mini Pushkarna said no interim order was required at this stage on a petition by Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, seeking permission to shift him to a private facility. The petition will be heard next on July 24.

In a special hearing held on Sunday, Justice Pushkarna said Safdarjung doctors were closely monitoring the fasting activist, and it could not be said that any force was being used against him in violation of his bodily integrity.

The judge also said the government's removal of Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung Hospital cannot be called arbitrary.

 

Justice Pushkarna further observed that Wangchuk's wife, his brother, and his brother-in-law have been given round-the-clock access to him.

She issued notice to the Centre, Safdarjung Hospital, and the city police on Angmo's plea seeking his transfer to a private facility.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma submitted that there should be no reason for any "doubt" in the matter. He said Wangchuk is being taken care of by the doctors at Safdarjung Hospital, but he has to cooperate.

"Needless to state that Sonam Wangchuk will cooperate with doctors in administering medical intervention if necessary, if he so chooses," the court responded.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for the petitioner, said that they wanted Wangchuk to be shifted to Medanta Hospital.

Emphasising that Wangchuk was not in any detention, Sibal asked if an individual can be denied admission in a hospital of his choice.

On Saturday, Wangchuk was taken forcibly to Safdarjung Hospital by the Delhi Police on the 21st day of his hunger strike.

He has been on a hunger strike since June 28 over alleged irregularities in the NEET and several students' suicides in the wake of the cancellation of the paper earlier.