Wangchuk to stay in Jodhpur jail as SC puts off hearing on release

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk will continue to remain in Jodhpur jail for now as the Supreme Court on Wednesday deferred to November 24 the hearing on his wife Gitanjali J Angmo’s amended petition seeking his immediate release from detention under the National Security Act (NSA), 1980.

She alleged that her husband’s detention was not based on genuine concerns of public order or security, but was a calculated attempt to silence a respected citizen exercising his right to dissent.

A Bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria, which allowed Angmo’s plea to amend the petition after it was mentioned by senior counsel Kapil Sibal, asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta — representing the Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh — to respond to Angmo’s amended petition in 10 days.

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