Sonam Wangchuk case: SC to watch speech videos ahead of final hearing

The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday said it would personally watch video recordings of speeches by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk before deciding on the legality of his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) . The court has scheduled the final hearing on March 17 and made it clear that it will reserve its decision the same day.

A bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice P. B. Varale directed the registry to arrange a screening of the videos later this week. The judges said they would first watch the recordings individually and then view them together to examine the statements cited by authorities in the detention order.

The case reached the apex court through a petition filed by Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, who has challenged the detention as illegal and arbitrary , arguing that it violates the activist’s fundamental rights .

During the hearing, the Centre sought a brief adjournment as Tushar Mehta was unwell. However, the bench noted that the matter had already seen several delays and fixed March 17 as the final date for arguments , making it clear that no new points would be allowed beyond those already raised.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Angmo, told the court that the detention order relied on incorrect translations and selective interpretation of Wangchuk’s speeches. He argued that statements allegedly attributed to the activist about overthrowing the government were not present in the translated material submitted by the government.

The Centre and the Ladakh administration, however, have defended the detention, claiming Wangchuk’s speeches instigated protests in a sensitive border region and encouraged young people to mobilise in ways similar to movements seen in Nepal and Bangladesh, even invoking comparisons with the Arab Spring.

Wangchuk , a well-known engineer, education reformer, and environmental activist from Ladakh , was detained on September 26 last year, two days after violent protests in Leh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule protection left four people dead and more than 160 injured. Observers noted parallels with recent agitations in Nepal , where citizens staged mass protests for regional autonomy and political reforms. Wangchuk had reportedly advocated for a similar style of peaceful yet high-profile mobilization in Ladakh , drawing inspiration from these Nepalese demonstrations.

Authorities alleged that his speeches contributed to the tensions leading to the violence. His family, however, maintains that he never incited unrest and had publicly condemned the violence through social media posts, calling it the “saddest day of his life.”

Currently lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail , Wangchuk has denied the allegations, asserting that he only exercised his democratic right to protest and criticise government policies . Legal experts note that his actions fall under Article 19 of the Indian Constitution , which guarantees freedom of speech and expression and the right to assemble peacefully, highlighting the broader debate over citizens’ rights to dissent within the framework of law.

With the court set to review the speeches directly, the March 17 hearing is expected to be crucial in determining whether his detention under the NSA will stand legal scrutiny.