Sonam Wangchuk's Wife Gitanjali J Angmo Moves Delhi High Court Seeking Transfer From Safdarjung Hospital

Gitanjali J Angmo has approached the High Court. She petitioned on Sunday to transfer her husband, activist Sonam Wangchuk, to a private facility after challenging his medical reports, News18 reported. Angmo disputed the Safdarjung Hospital assessments and demanded an immediate hearing before his health worsens.

Delhi Police shifted Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday morning, July 18. This relocation followed High Court orders to provide essential medical care for the activist.

Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike reached Day 21 on Saturday. He demands the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the ongoing NEET paper leak controversy.

Disputed Medical Reports

In a post on X, Angmo expressed her distrust. She said, "I have lost faith in Safdarjung Government Hospital. The hospital told us @Wangchuk66’s potassium had dropped to 2.9, describing it as alarming and life-threatening...An independent laboratory test reported 3.5, well within the normal range."

The hospital's public health bulletin omitted the actual figure, referring only to "decreasing potassium levels" while privately telling the family the drop was life-threatening.

Claims Of Illegal Detention

Angmo further said that despite repeated requests, the hospital had refused to discharge Wangchuk or allow the family to move him to a private hospital. She also said that the presence of police personnel around the hospital restricted the family’s movement.

Angmo said, "Despite repeated requests, the hospital has refused to discharge him or allow us to shift him to a private hospital of our choice. With around 30 police personnel stationed on our floor and well over 100 across the hospital, our movement is severely restricted. It is not medical care. It is illegal detention."

She said, "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."

Official Medical Response

Medical Superintendent Dr Charu Bamba told news agency ANI, "He is definitely showing signs of dehydration. He needs treatment. But despite our counselling, he is refusing treatment. He is accepting neither oral rehydration fluid, electrolyte solution nor IV therapy." Bamba, the Safdarjung Hospital Medical Superintendent, said Wangchuk's blood pressure, pulse rate and oxygen saturation remain stable and that he is fully conscious and oriented.

In an official health bulletin, the hospital stated that Wangchuk’s vital parameters were stable at present, but his blood parameters remained "marginally altered". The bulletin added that, considering the physiological stress and systemic effects of prolonged fasting, Wangchuk required continuous medical care under the close observation of a multidisciplinary team of experts.

The hospital stated that doctors from Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS, New Delhi, had jointly assessed that sustained medical intervention and continuous clinical monitoring were necessary despite his stable condition.

In a statement issued later in the day, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated that Wangchuk’s family had not yet agreed to the recommended medical intervention despite repeated counselling by both the treating doctors and an independent AIIMS expert. The ministry informed that Wangchuk continued to remain under close medical observation while efforts were being made to persuade him and his family to accept the recommended treatment at the earliest.

Leaders from several opposition parties had met Wangchuk at the protest site and urged him to break his hunger strike while supporting his demands.