Sonam Wangchuk shifted from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta after HC order
Delhi High Court ordered the transfer of Sonam Wangchuk from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital for further treatment, citing safety and fundamental-rights concerns.
- The Delhi High Court ordered Sonam Wangchuk's immediate transfer to Medanta Hospital, Gurugram, for further treatment.
- The court linked the transfer to protection of fundamental rights under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India.
- Doctors from AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital were consulted before the court issued the transfer order.
The Delhi High Court ordered the immediate transfer of activist Sonam Wangchuk from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital, Gurugram, after concerns were raised about his safety and his constitutional rights. The order is relevant for UPSC because it links medical care, judicial intervention, and the protection of Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India.
Safdarjung Hospital authorities said Wangchuk was discharged on Tuesday evening and moved to Medanta Hospital for further treatment in compliance with the Delhi High Court order. The court said the transfer was necessary for his safety and for protection of his fundamental rights.
The bench, led by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Kaaria, considered medical concerns after interaction with doctors from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Safdarjung Hospital. The court also said that, subject to medical protocol, Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, would be allowed to visit whenever she desired.
UPSC may use Sonam Wangchuk's hospital transfer to test the scope of Articles 19 and 21, the judiciary's role in safeguarding personal liberty and dignity, and the balance between medical protocol and patient choice. The case also offers a public-administration and ethics angle on hospital decision-making during a hunger strike.
