Responding to a petition by his wife Gitanjali Angmo, the court ruled that the Ladakhi activist’s personal healthcare concerns cannot be overlooked during his ongoing hunger strike.
NEW DELHI — The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted permission for climate activist and protest leader Sonam Wangchuk to be transferred from the state-run Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta, a private healthcare facility in Gurugram. The decision came in response to a petition filed by his wife, Gitanjali Angmo, following public disagreement over conflicting medical reports regarding his condition.
Observing that the court “cannot ignore his concerns,” a bench reviewed medical evaluations submitted by doctors from Safdarjung Hospital, AIIMS, and independent specialists before approving the transfer.
1. Medical Arguments & Court Observations
Wangchuk was initially forcibly removed by Delhi Police from the protest site at Jantar Mantar earlier in the week and admitted to Safdarjung Hospital under previous court instructions directing authorities to safeguard his life.
⚖️ Key Legal & Medical Submissions:
🏥 Petitioner's Stand ➔ Vitals are stable; oral medications sufficient; monitoring requested at facility of choice.
🩺 Government Counsel ➔ Depressed White Blood Cell (WBC) count poses heightened infection risks in a weakened state.
🏛️ Centre's Position ➔ Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated the Centre raised no objection subject to formal consent.
Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal, representing Angmo, presented a letter written by Wangchuk detailing strict security isolation at the government facility, including restricted access to personal devices and legal papers.
2. Context of the Fast & Political Outreach
Wangchuk’s hunger strike, which has extended past 20 days, forms part of broader demonstrations organized alongside student groups and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding institutional accountability over alleged irregularities in the May 3 NEET-UG examination.
Key Developments in the NEET Protest Timeline
| Event / Action | Key Entities Involved | Status / Outcome |
| Jantar Mantar Fast | Sonam Wangchuk & Student Activists | Fasting initiated demanding a parliamentary audience regarding NEET-UG paper leak allegations. |
| Hospitalization Order | Delhi Police & Safdarjung Hospital | Activist removed from protest site following health risk assessments submitted to court. |
| Government Engagement | Union Health Minister JP Nadda & CJP Leaders | CJP representatives submitted a formal memorandum; minister assured internal discussion without binding commitments. |
| Medical Transfer Approval | Delhi High Court & Medanta Hospital | High Court grants discharge to Medanta as requested by Wangchuk’s family. |
Chronology of Recent Legal & Medical Events
The timeline of events surrounding the activist’s medical transfer.
Condition for Ending Fast: In statements submitted through legal counsel, Wangchuk reiterated that his hunger strike will persist until protesting student representatives and activists are granted a formal meeting with members of Parliament.
