SC orders specialist medical check for detained activist Sonam Wangchuk

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Rajasthan prison authorities to arrange a medical examination of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk by a specialist doctor after concerns were raised over his deteriorating health due to alleged water contamination in jail.

A Bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and P. B. Varale instructed the Jodhpur Central Jail administration to ensure that Wangchuk is examined by a government hospital specialist, preferably a gastroenterologist. The court also ordered that his medical report be submitted in a sealed cover by Monday.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal , representing Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo , informed the court that an application had been moved seeking urgent medical attention for the activist. He told the Bench that Wangchuk had been suffering from stomach-related problems for some time and had repeatedly requested a proper medical check-up.

“He is experiencing stomach issues because of the water he is forced to consume. Despite repeated requests, no specialist has examined him. We are asking for regular weekly check-ups and permission to provide him with safe drinking water,” Sibal submitted.

Opposing the plea, counsel for the Rajasthan government stated that Wangchuk had been examined 21 times by jail doctors over the past four months. Additional Solicitor General K. M. Nataraj placed medical records before the court showing that the activist was checked between September 26 and January 26.

According to the state, Wangchuk’s latest medical report indicated normal blood pressure and no abnormalities in clinical examinations of his chest and abdomen. The government also said he had been prescribed Vitamin B12 supplements and that no serious health issues were detected.

However, the Supreme Court observed that in view of the complaints raised, an examination by a specialist doctor was necessary. The Bench recorded the assurance of the Centre that Wangchuk would be examined by a specialist from a government hospital and that the findings would be submitted to the court in a sealed cover.

Wangchuk has been lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail since September 26 last year under the National Security Act (NSA), two days after violent protests in Ladakh demanding statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The protests left four people dead and around 90 injured.

Wangchuk has been held in Jodhpur Central Jail since September 26 last year under the National Security Act (NSA), following violent protests in Ladakh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status. The unrest, which coincided with similar Ladakh Zeng solidarity protests in Nepal, resulted in four deaths and nearly 90 injuries across the region.

The authorities have accused Wangchuk of instigating the unrest, an allegation contested by his supporters.

The NSA allows preventive detention of individuals to stop activities considered prejudicial to national security or public order. The law permits detention for up to 12 months, though the government may revoke it earlier.