NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought a “comprehensive” medical report from Safdarjung Hospital on Sonam Wangchuk’s health after his wife Gitanjali Angmo alleged that he was “forcibly” kept there by police to prevent him from taking part in the protests.
The HC also asked the in-charge of AIIMS and other consulting and treating doctors to be present during the the next date on Tuesday.
During the Monday’s hearing, the Centre told the court that the state had an interest in ensuring that Wangchuk’s health or life was not compromised.
A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia asked the hospital director to file all details, including Wangchuk’s pathological reports analysed at three places. “We direct that all the pathological reports based on the sample analysed at Safdarjung Hospital, AIIMS, and a private laboratory shall be filed in an affidavit and sworn by director of hospital,” the court said.
The court was hearing an appeal filed by Angmo against an order passed by a single judge bench of the HC on Sunday. The bench said that it would pass an order on her petition on Tuesday. It also directed her to file the medical reports cited by her.
Appearing for the Centre and Delhi Police, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that while citizens had the right to protest, that does not give someone a right to say he would commit suicide until his demand is met.
“When the consequence of your deterioration of health or a potential loss of life has an impact on the law and order, that is where the state’s interest comes in,” he said.
No urgent hearing
The High Court on Monday refused urgent hearing of a PIL to declare the removal of activist Sonam Wangcuhk from Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung Hospital “illegal”. The plea sought the “constitutional protection of the protesters”.
