Delhi HC agrees to urgently hear Gitanjali Angmo's plea to shift Sonam Wangchuk to private hospital

The Delhi High Court on Sunday agreed to urgently hear a plea filed by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali J Angmo seeking permission to shift him from Safdarjung Hospital to a private medical facility of the family's choice, PTI reported. The court will hear Angmo's plat at 2:30 PM today.

The plea comes soon after Wangchuk's wife alleged that she had "lost faith" in the government-run hospital and accused the authorities of refusing to discharge him despite repeated requests.

Also read: 'Lost faith in Safdarjung Hospital': Sonam Wangchuk's wife moves Delhi HC over transfer plea


In a statement issued on Sunday, she claimed doctors at Safdarjung Hospital had informed the family that Wangchuk's potassium level had dropped to 2.9, describing it as "alarming and life-threatening", but the hospital's public health bulletin omitted the figure and referred only to "decreasing potassium levels". She also alleged that an independent laboratory test showed a potassium level of 3.5, which she said was within the normal range.

Angmo further alleged that the family was not being allowed to shift Wangchuk to a private hospital despite repeated requests and claimed that nearly 30 police personnel were stationed on their hospital floor, with over 100 deployed across the hospital premises, severely restricting their movement. Calling it "illegal detention", she said the hospital authorities and the government would be responsible if anything happened to the activist.

Wangchuk was taken to Safdarjung Hospital by the Delhi Police from his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar after his health deteriorated during the fast. The family has maintained that he should be allowed to continue treatment at a private hospital of their choice.