File photo of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. | Photo credit: PTI
The Supreme Court on Thursday (Feb 12, 2026) asked the Center whether climate activist Sonam Wangchuk could have seen the four videos that authorities cite among others to justify his detention under the National Security Act (NSA).
Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing before Justice Aravind Kumar and PB Varale, said the authorities had used 23 videos to order the detention and all had been provided to Mr Wangchuk.
But the activist’s lawyers argued that the four videos were not on the disc provided to Mr. Wangchuk and that he had repeatedly asked the authorities for the videos.
During the hearing, Mr. Nataraj said the detention prevented violence from escalating in the sensitive border area.
On February 11, the court pointed to phrases in Mr. Wangchuk’s statements expressing his fears of a departure from the Gandhian, nonviolent way of struggle. The Center strongly objected to the court associating Mr. Wangchuk, whom the government counsel described as “completely anti-India,” with Mahatma Gandhi.
Sonam Wangchuk fueled violence by referring to Nepal, Bangladesh and Arab Spring: Center told SC
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Mr Nataraj disagreed with the court’s earlier motion to reconsider the detention order on health grounds. Mr Mehta said Mr Wangchuk’s “facade of health was manufactured and synthetic”.
The activist has been detained in the Jodhpur Central Jail for nearly five months since September 26 last year, two days after violent protests demanding statehood and the Sixth Plan for Ladakh left four dead and several injured in the Union Territory.
Published – 12 Feb 2026 22:18 IST