New Delhi. The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave an important order in the custody case of jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. The court heard Wangchuk’s wife Geetanjali J. The hearing has been postponed till January 29, 2026 on the petition filed by Angmo, in which she has challenged the National Security Act (NSA) imposed against her husband. Justice Arvind Kumar and Justice P.B. Considering the seriousness of the case, Varale’s bench has fixed the next date.
Geetanjali has argued in her petition that her husband’s detention is completely illegal and arbitrary. He told the apex court that the authorities did not exercise their discretion properly while issuing the detention order and based only on irrelevant material. The petition also argued that the purpose of the speeches given by Wangchuk in Leh was not to incite violence, but to pacify the people. Geetanjali alleges that the administration is distorting facts to portray a social worker as a criminal. Sonam Wangchuk was detained last year on 26 September 2025. This action was taken following violent protests in Leh demanding full statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Four people lost their lives and about 90 people were injured in that violence. The government and the Leh District Magistrate claim that Wangchuk played a key role in instigating the violence and that his activities were detrimental to the security and public order of the state. At the same time, Geetanjali said in the court that Wangchuk was not informed about the full basis of his detention nor was he given a chance to present his side under the proper legal process. She clarified that her husband’s statements cannot be held responsible for the unfortunate violence that took place in Leh on September 24. On the other hand, the District Magistrate has denied the allegations through an affidavit that Wangchuk is being treated unfairly. Now all eyes are on the next hearing to be held on January 29, where the court will consider this sensitive matter in detail.