New Delhi, 23 February (HS): The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned to February 26 the hearing on a plea challenging the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA).

The petition was filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, Wangchuk’s wife. A bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and P B Varale deferred the matter as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was unavailable.

Earlier, the court had asked the Centre whether there was any possibility of reconsidering Wangchuk’s detention in view of his health condition. The Centre and the Ladakh administration have submitted that Wangchuk was detained for allegedly instigating people in a sensitive border area. The government has stated that all procedural safeguards were followed while ordering his detention under the NSA.

According to submissions made earlier by the Centre, Wangchuk was allegedly involved in instigating protests in Leh on September 24 last year, during which four persons died and 161 were injured. The government has also contended that he referred to movements comparable to international protests while addressing youth.

The NSA empowers the Centre and state governments to detain individuals to prevent actions considered prejudicial to the defence of India, with a maximum detention period of 12 months, subject to earlier revocation.

On January 29, Wangchuk, currently lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail, denied allegations that he had called for any agitation aimed at overthrowing the government, stating that he exercised his democratic right to criticise and protest.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Angmo, submitted that the detention was based on selective material and termed it arbitrary. The plea states that the events of violence in Leh cannot be attributed to Wangchuk and that he had publicly condemned the violence.

The matter will now be taken up for further hearing on February 26.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar