'Videos Cited For My Detention Never Shown To Me': Sonam Wangchuk To Supreme Court

Last Updated:February 19, 2026, 17:06 IST

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Wangchuk, argued that a video in which he clearly stated he did not support violence was ignored by the authorities.

The Supreme Court on Thursday heard a plea filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, wife of Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA). The matter was heard by a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale.

During the hearing, Wangchuk’s lawyer told the court that when he met his client a day earlier, Wangchuk said he had only been shown thumbnails of the videos used against him. The videos themselves, he claimed, were not played before him.

The court said it would personally view the videos stored in a pen drive that had been directed to be produced from Wangchuk’s possession.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Angmo, argued that a video in which Wangchuk clearly stated he did not support violence was ignored by the authorities. Instead, he said, unrelated material was placed before the detaining authority.

Thegovernment sought more time to respond to allegations that the transcripts and translations of the videos relied upon were incorrect. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said there was a 40-minute video and he needed time to address the claim that translations were wrong.

“There’s a video of 40 minutes. I have something to say on the contention that the translations are wrong," Mehta said.

Angmo opposed the request. Sibal told the court that the government’s counter affidavit did not answer their allegations and therefore more time should not be granted. He argued that the differences in translation had already been pointed out and the authorities had earlier been given an opportunity to respond.

The court listed the matter to be further heard on February 23.

Earlier on February 16, the apex court had questioned the government over discrepancies in the transcripts. The judges noted that some statements mentioned in the tabulated list did not even appear in the detention order and observed that a three-minute speech could not legitimately produce a seven- or eight-minute transcript.

Sonam Wangchuk’s Case

Wangchuk was detained under the NSA after protests in Leh in September 2025 over demands for statehood and inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule. His wife subsequently filed a habeas corpus petition seeking his release.

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