Centre rules out end of Sonam’s detention

The Centre has ruled out ending the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk in relation to the Ladakh violence last year as it told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the grounds of his detention still “sustain” and making an exception when he is medically fit will neither be possible nor desirable.

- Abraham Thomas

The court, however, seemed to convey reservations about drawing adverse inferences from Wangchuk’s speeches, observing that they must be viewed in context, explicitly referring to certain excerpts where Wangchuk had spoken of violence as undesirable.

Responding to a specific query by the court last Wednesday on whether the Centre would like to have a “rethink” on continuing Wangchuk’s detention on the combined grounds of his five-month long incarceration and his failing health, the submissions were made by solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Ladakh administration,

Appearing before a bench of justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale, SG Mehta said: “There is nothing alarming regarding his health. He is fit, hale and hearty and is being treated for some digestive issues. Since his arrest on September 26, 2025 he has been periodically examined 24 times.” The bench asked Mehta,