New Delhi :The Supreme Court of India recently raised serious concerns regarding the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA). During a hearing on February 16, 2026, the bench questioned the accuracy of video transcripts provided by the Union Government. These documents formed the primary basis for Wangchuk’s arrest following the September 2025 protests in Ladakh.
Supreme Court Slams “Malice” in Transcripts
The bench, comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice PB Varale, observed significant discrepancies in the evidence presented by the Centre. While hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, the court noted that the government’s written transcripts were nearly three times longer than the actual speeches.
“If the speech is of 3 minutes and your transcription goes on for 7-8 minutes, there is certainly malice in that,” the court remarked. The justices emphasized that in the current era of Artificial Intelligence, transcription and translation precision should reach at least 98%.
When Additional Solicitor General (ASG) KM Nataraj claimed that a specific department prepared the documents and the legal team were not “experts,” the court remained firm. It demanded the “actual transcripts” of the speeches to determine if the detention order was based on factual statements or manufactured narratives.
Sibal Challenges “Non-Existent” Evidence
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Gitanjali Angmo, argued that the Centre relied on content that simply does not exist. He highlighted that phrases like “self-immolation” or “overthrowing the government” were never uttered by Wangchuk. Sibal stated that the activist was merely reminding the government of its own manifesto promises regarding statehood and the Sixth Schedule.
Furthermore, Sibal pointed out a critical procedural lapse. He claimed that the most vital evidence—the video where Wangchuk called off his hunger strike and pleaded for peace—was withheld from the detaining authority. “Since 2022, has any speech of his incited violence?” Sibal asked, asserting that Wangchuk has consistently followed a non-violent, “Gandhian” path of protest.
The court even used a touch of poetry to describe the situation, quoting an Urdu couplet: “Humne wo bhi suna jo unhone kaha hi nahi” (We heard even that which he never said).
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Medical Concerns and Legal Deadlock
Sonam Wangchuk has been held in Jodhpur Central Jail since September 26, 2025. His arrest followed a 35-day fast for Ladakh’s constitutional safeguards, which unfortunately turned violent after 15 days, resulting in four deaths. Although Wangchuk immediately condemned the violence and ended his fast, authorities charged him under the stringent NSA.
Despite the Supreme Court’s earlier suggestions to review the detention on health grounds, the Centre has refused to release him. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta previously informed the court that Wangchuk is “fit, hale and hearty” after undergoing 28 medical examinations. However, the petitioner’s team maintains that his digestive issues remain a concern and that the detention itself is “subjective satisfaction” based on irrelevant or stale FIRs.
The Supreme Court has now ordered the Jodhpur jail superintendent to produce a pen drive—containing the recordings provided to Wangchuk during his detention—in a sealed box for judicial review.