Wife moves Delhi HC to shift Sonam Wangchuk from Safdarjung Hospital
New Delhi: Gitanjali J. Angmo, wife of climate and education activist Sonam Wangchuk, has moved the Delhi High Court seeking an urgent hearing to transfer her husband from Safdarjung Government Hospital to a private facility. The petition was filed on Sunday, July 19, 2026, a day after Wangchuk was admitted to the hospital.
Wangchuk had been on a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), when he was taken to the hospital by plainclothes officers. The family has expressed loss of faith in the hospital's care.
Ms. Angmo stated that the hospital informed them that Wangchuk's potassium level had dropped to 2.9, describing it as alarming. However, she noted that the hospital's public bulletin only mentioned 'decreasing potassium levels' without specifying the exact number. She added that when the family was allowed to take independent blood samples at 10:30 p.m., a laboratory test showed a potassium level of 3.5, which is within the normal range.
"Despite repeated requests, the hospital has refused to discharge him or allow us to shift him to a private hospital of our choice," Ms. Angmo posted on X. She also alleged that approximately 30 police personnel are stationed on the hospital floor and over 100 across the facility, severely restricting their movement. She described the situation as "not medical care but illegal detention."
In response, Safdarjung Hospital issued a statement on Sunday confirming that Wangchuk is receiving the required medical intervention. A health bulletin noted that his vital parameters are stable, but his blood parameters remain marginally altered due to the physiological stress and systemic effects of prolonged fasting. The hospital said a multidisciplinary team of experts from VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS, New Delhi, is closely monitoring his condition.
"Sustained medical intervention and round-the-clock clinical monitoring are essential to promptly detect and manage any potential complications that may arise despite his currently stable condition," the hospital stated.
Ms. Angmo said that if anything happens to Wangchuk, the hospital authorities and the government must bear full responsibility. "I have therefore moved the High Court and sought an urgent hearing today, praying for permission to shift Sonam before his health deteriorates further. No family should have to fight the system simply to choose where their loved one receives medical care," she added.
The case highlights the tension between medical authorities and a patient's family over the choice of healthcare provider during a prolonged hunger strike.
