New Delhi, Feb 20 — The Supreme Court on Thursday heard allegations that activist Sonam Wangchuk, detained under the National Security Act (NSA), was never supplied with the four videos that formed the basis of his preventive detention, with his wife asserting that only thumbnails were shown to him.
Appearing for Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali J Angmo, senior advocate Kapil Sibal told a Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B Varale that the failure to provide the videos violated the detenue’s constitutional right to make an effective representation before the advisory board and the government.
“It is now alleged by the State that the DIG came with a laptop and showed four videos. Let us assume they showed it — that is not the requirement of law. The requirement is to give it to me. They have to supply the document; I don’t have to ask. It is their constitutional duty,” Sibal said.
“We have said time and again that the four videos were never supplied.”
A lawyer assisting Sibal submitted that while a pen drive was inserted into a laptop in Wangchuk’s presence on October 5, 2025, the videos were never played. “He only saw thumbnails. None of the thumbnails were clicked,” the lawyer told the court.
Responding for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj said there was a video that would show the entire interaction between the DIG and the detenue. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought time to answer the allegation that the transcripts and translations relied upon by the detaining authority were incorrect.
“There is a 40-minute video. I have something to say on the contention that the translations are wrong,” Mehta said.
Sibal opposed the request, arguing that the authorities had failed to deal with these allegations in their counter affidavit and could not now seek additional time.
As arguments remained inconclusive, the Bench posted the matter for further hearing on February 23.
Earlier, on February 18, the Supreme Court of India had questioned the Centre over the accuracy of the video transcripts placed on record, observing that translations must be precise in the age of artificial intelligence.
Wangchuk was detained on September 26, 2025, under Section 3(2) of the NSA, two days after protests in Leh demanding statehood for Ladakh and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule turned violent, leaving four people dead and nearly 100 injured. The Centre and the Ladakh administration have defended the detention, saying Wangchuk instigated people in a sensitive border region.
The NSA allows preventive detention for up to 12 months to prevent actions considered prejudicial to the defence of India, though such detention can be revoked earlier.
Wangchuk has denied exhorting supporters to overthrow the government, rejecting comparisons with the Arab Spring and asserting his democratic right to criticise and protest.