The Supreme Court of India gears up for Thursday’s hearing on a fervent plea by Geetanjali Angmo to free her husband, Sonam Wangchuk, from what she deems unlawful detention. The Ladakh climate crusader’s September arrest has sparked outrage over alleged rights violations.
Blamed for speeches purportedly igniting deadly Ladakh violence—four fatalities, widespread injuries—the case reeks of mishandling, per the petition. Wangchuk claims ignorance of arrest rationale, with officials reportedly skewing his words from years past.
In prior sessions, the bench comprising Justices Arvind Kumar and P.B. Varale flagged translation discrepancies. Directing the pen drive’s production, they declared: “Speech text must be identical; disagreements belong to analysis, not the source.”
Kapil Sibal, arguing for Wangchuk, exposed omissions in government exhibits. “Basing detention on phantom statements is unheard of,” he protested. Justices mandated original records, adjourning to allow full submissions.
As tension mounts, this could redefine boundaries for detaining dissenters in frontier zones. Wangchuk’s ordeal mirrors Ladakh’s push for safeguards amid environmental and cultural advocacy. A favorable verdict might expedite his return, signaling courts’ role in upholding due process against hasty security measures.