New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted permission for activist Sonam Wangchuk to be transferred from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, allowing his ongoing medical supervision to continue at the private facility. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia ordered that Wangchuk be admitted to his preferred choice of hospital, directing Safdarjung Hospital administration to immediately hand over all case history and medical records to the attending medical team at Medanta. The ruling came during the hearing of an appeal filed by Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, challenging a single-judge order that had previously denied interim relief regarding his transfer.
During the proceedings, the Division Bench scrutinized detailed health assessments submitted by medical experts from Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS, alongside independent laboratory findings. The court questioned treating physicians regarding critical biochemical parameters, including declining potassium levels, elevated urea readings, and a drop in total leukocyte count that indicated reduced immunity. While government representatives and treating doctors emphasized that strict infection control and continuous monitoring were essential due to the physical strain of prolonged fasting, senior advocate Akhil Sibal, representing Angmo, argued that necessary medical observation could be effectively maintained at a facility chosen by the patient and his family.
Representing the central government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma informed the Bench that federal authorities held no objection to the transfer, provided that Wangchuk remained under strict clinical care. Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike since late June in solidarity with the Cockroach Janata Party’s youth-led movement demanding competitive examination reforms, was initially relocated to Safdarjung Hospital by Delhi Police on July 18 over health concerns. With the High Court concluding that medical supervision can seamlessly continue at the private Gurugram facility, emergency health protocols and monitoring will transition to Medanta’s specialized team immediately.
