Gitanjali J Angmo and Sonam Wangchuks
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed activist Sonam Wangchuk to share his notes pertaining to his detention with his wife, Gitanjali J Angmo.The court allowed the sharing of notes as the Ladakh administration did not object.Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Angmo, said they will file an application to amend the petition and challenge the grounds of detention.During the hearing, Sibal requested that Wangchuk be permitted to exchange some notes with his wife.The apex court noted the submission of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that he has no problem with the detainee sharing notes with his wife.Wangchuk is lodged in jail in Rajasthan under the National Security Act (NSA) after a protest in Ladakh seeking statehood status turned violent, killing four people.”Hearing for our first petition was done on 6 October, in which we had a plea to give us the grounds of the detention order and also inform us of the condition of Sonam Wangchuk. We were allowed to meet Sonam, and on October 7th, I met him in Jodhpur. We were then given detention orders. I met him again on 11th October,” Gitanjali told news agency ANI.She futher said: “In today’s hearing, the SC has passed two orders. One is to be given the challenges given by Sonam against the detention orders. Secondly, the application filed by us should be amended so that we can challenge the grounds of detention. The next hearing will be on 29th October.” The Supreme Court adjourned to October 29 hearing on Gitanjali’s plea after noting that she wants to amend her petition.The top court was hearing a plea filed by his wife Gitanjali J Angmo, challenging the climate activist’s detention under the National Security Act, and seeking his immediate release.Earlier on Tuesday, the bench of justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria adjourned the hearing to October 15 due to paucity of time.Two days after violent protests in Ladakh, Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on September 26. At least four people were killed and 90 others were reported injured in the violent protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh. Following the clashes, the government has accused Wangchuk, who is lodged in Jodhpur jail, of inciting the violence.His wife questioned the decision to invoke the NSA against him in her plea. She had filed a habeas corpus seeking urgent listing of the plea and a direction to the Ladakh administration to “produce Sonam Wangchuk before this court forthwith”.