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New Delhi, October 14 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to Sonam Wangchuk’s wife Geetanjali J, who challenged the Leh-based climate activist’s detention under the National Security Act (NSA). The hearing on the writ petition filed by Angmo was adjourned till October 15.
A bench of Justices Arvind Kumar and NV Anjaria scheduled the hearing for Wednesday after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Angmo, sought an adjournment.
In the last hearing held on October 6, a bench headed by Justice Arvind Kumar had issued a notice and sought response from the central government and other officials in the matter.
The top court asked the Center to examine the feasibility of ordering detention of Wangchuk’s wife, noting that grounds for detention have already been given to the detainee.
The direction came after senior lawyer Sibal said that no grounds had been found to keep any member of the family in custody.
In response, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, “The law requires us to provide services to the detained person, and we have done that. We will examine the feasibility of providing services to his wife.”
Sibal further raised the issue that Wangchuk’s wife was not being allowed to meet him. Mehta said, “Let’s not create any publicity. No one is being stopped. The lawyer and the prisoner’s brother have met him in jail.”
Wangchuk’s wife’s request for a meeting is “being considered”, he said.
SG Mehta further told the top court that Wangchuk “has stated before the medical officer that he is not taking any medicine”, adding that “all the publicity” was aimed at creating an “emotional atmosphere” in the media.
However, the Supreme Court ordered that “the detained person shall be given medical care as required and as permitted by the existing prison rules”.
The Union Home Ministry held Wangchuk responsible for inciting violence in Leh city. Wangchuk was on hunger strike since September 10 and when violence broke out in the city, he broke his fast and fled the scene in an ambulance. The activist was later detained under NSA and shifted to Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan.
Wangchuk, a prominent activist from Ladakh, is widely respected for his work in education, environmental protection and other social causes.
–IANS
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