The Supreme Court will hear a petition on Monday that seeks to free Sonam Wangchuk, a well‑known climate activist and education reformer from Ladakh. Wangchuk’s wife, Geetanjali Angmo, filed the petition on October 2. She says his arrest on September 24 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, was politically driven and violates his basic rights.
Wangchuk was taken into custody after violent protests in Leh, Ladakh. A bench of Justice Arvind Kumar and Justice N.V. Anjaria will decide the case. The Ladakh administration has dismissed the accusation of victimisation. In a statement issued earlier this week, officials called the claims “baseless” and said the arrest followed solid evidence, documents and legal authority.
The statement also highlighted investigations into the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), the education center founded by Wangchuk. Officials allege that HIAL has been issuing degrees without official recognition and has failed to disclose foreign funding. In addition, the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of SECMOL, another group linked to Wangchuk, has been cancelled because of multiple violations.
The administration has also criticized Wangchuk’s recent hunger strike and public remarks. It says he has made provocative comments about Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, and has encouraged youth to break the peace. A June 2025 video on his YouTube channel claims he spoke of an “Arab Spring”‑style revolution and even mentioned self‑immolation as a protest form.
The court’s decision will decide whether Wangchuk’s detention was lawful or unlawful, and whether the charges linked to HIAL and SECMOL stand. The case remains in the spotlight for both environmental activists and advocates of democratic rights in India.
Source: ianslive
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