Gitanjali J. Angmo, wife of educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, has moved the Delhi High Court challenging her husband's continued confinement at Safdarjung Hospital, with an urgent hearing scheduled before Justice Mini Pushkarna on Sunday, 19 July, despite it being a court holiday. The petition seeks Wangchuk's immediate discharge and transfer to a hospital of the family's choice.

What the Petition Alleges

Angmo's writ petition contends that Wangchuk was forcibly removed from the protest site at Jantar Mantar on Saturday morning and shifted to Safdarjung Hospital without his consent and without any prior intimation to his family, despite the absence of a medical emergency warranting such action. The plea has sought a declaration that his continued hospitalisation is unconstitutional.

The petition has also prayed for unrestricted access to Wangchuk's legal counsel and the doctors who had been monitoring his health during his hunger strike. It further alleged that authorities have repeatedly refused requests to shift him to another hospital and have denied the family complete access to his medical records, blocking any independent health assessment.

The Potassium Discrepancy at the Centre of the Row

A key contention in the plea concerns a reported discrepancy in Wangchuk's blood potassium levels. According to the petition, his potassium was recorded at 4.3 mg during a medical examination conducted on Friday. After he was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital, the family was allegedly informed the level had dropped sharply to 2.9 mg, prompting medical intervention.

The family subsequently received a blood sample — reportedly nearly 10.5 hours after requesting it — and had it independently tested. That test allegedly returned a potassium reading of 3.6 mg, raising concerns over discrepancies between the hospital's figures and the independent result.

What the Hospital Says

In its latest health bulletin issued on Sunday, Safdarjung Hospital stated that Wangchuk's vital parameters are presently stable, but that his blood parameters remain 'marginally altered', necessitating continuous medical care under close supervision by a multidisciplinary team. Doctors from VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS are of the opinion that round-the-clock clinical monitoring is essential to detect and manage any potential complications arising from prolonged fasting.

Authorities have maintained that the transfer from Jantar Mantar on Saturday was undertaken in compliance with earlier directions of the Delhi High Court and on the advice of medical experts.

Background: The Hunger Strike and Earlier Court Proceedings

Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike since 28 June, in solidarity with students protesting alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination and demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He joined the agitation at Jantar Mantar after the protest campaign was launched on 20 June.

The latest petition follows a Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia disposing of an earlier PIL on Wangchuk's deteriorating health, after recording the Centre's assurance — given by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta — that his condition would be monitored daily by government doctors and that all necessary medical intervention would be undertaken as required. The court had observed that 'the life of every citizen is precious and all efforts ought to be made by the authorities to protect it.'

All attention now turns to the hearing before Justice Mini Pushkarna, where the court will determine whether Wangchuk's hospitalisation can continue against his and his family's wishes.