'Every Life Is Precious': Delhi High Court Says Government's Decision To Shift Sonam Wangchuk Not Arbitrary

The Delhi High Court on Sunday, July 19, held that the government's decision to shift Sonam Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital cannot be termed arbitrary, as it was taken in view of his deteriorating medical condition and in compliance with the earlier Division Bench order of the court. Observing that “every life is precious,” the court said it found no material to suggest that any force had been used against Wangchuk. Wangchuk was taken to Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday by the Delhi Police on the 21st day of his hunger strike.The Court noted that doctors at Safdarjung Hospital are closely monitoring his health and have administered only oral treatment with his consent and that his wife and brother have been granted 24x7 access to him. It further

noted that a separate room has been provided to the family, allowing them to remain with him.Taking these factors into account, the High Court said no interim order was required at this stage and issued notice on the petition.

Addressing concerns over his hospitalisation, the court observed that Wangchuk is not under detention. However, since he had not voluntarily admitted himself to a hospital despite his condition, the government was within its rights to shift him to a government medical facility.“Considering these facts, no interim order is required to be passed at this stage,” the Court said while issuing notice on the petition and asked all stakeholders to file their response within three days. The Delhi High Court made the remarks on Sunday while hearing a petition by Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali J Angmo seeking permission to shift the activist from Safdarjung Hospital to a private facility.Angmo, in her petition before the high court, said despite repeated requests, the Safdarjung authorities disclosed "only selective information" to her, and their refusal to let Wangchuk shift to another hospital has prevented an "independent verification of his medical condition".

Expressing "dire concern" over her husband's health, Angmo said she is "aggrieved by the clandestine and completely opaque nature" of the medical intervention, despite Wangchuk's vital parameters being stable when he was removed from the protest site.After Wangchuk was shifted to the hospital, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced an indefinite hunger strike at the Jantar Mantar. Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28 in support of the CJP-led protest over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and the reported deaths of students linked to the controversy.