Delhi High Court Denies Transfer Request for Wangchuk

The Delhi High Court on July 19 declined to order the discharge or transfer of activist Sonam Wangchuk from Safdarjung Hospital, ruling that the government's decision to hospitalize him due to his deteriorating health was not arbitrary. The court found no violation of his bodily autonomy, as medical intervention was being conducted with his consent.

The ruling came during a special Sunday hearing on a petition filed by Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, who sought to transfer the 59-year-old activist to a private facility, specifically Medanta Hospital. Justice Mini Pushkarna refused to grant interim relief, noting that Wangchuk had not voluntarily admitted himself to a hospital despite his condition, which justified government intervention. The court referenced an earlier Division Bench order from July 16 that directed authorities to monitor Wangchuk's health and undertake necessary medical intervention.

Medical records presented to the court indicated Wangchuk's potassium levels had fallen to a dangerously low level of 2.9 mEq/L, with low sugar and sodium levels and signs of dehydration and ketosis. Doctors from Safdarjung Hospital and the All India Institute of Medical...