Activist and scientist Sonam Wangchuk was taken from Jodhpur Central Jail to AIIMS Jodhpur early Saturday morning for a medical examination, days after the Supreme Court flagged concerns over his health.
Wangchuk, who has been lodged in the jail since September 27, 2025, spent around an hour and a half in the gastroenterology department of the hospital before being escorted back to prison.
AIIMS sources said he has been dealing with stomach-related issues and had visited the hospital a day earlier as well for medical tests.
The Supreme Court, which is hearing a petition filed by Wangchuk’s wife, has sought his medical report by February 2.
Acting on the court’s direction, police personnel took him from the jail to the emergency department of AIIMS Jodhpur on Saturday morning, an official said.
Concerns over Wangchuk’s health have been raised repeatedly over the past few weeks. He has told the court that his condition has been deteriorating in custody.
Taking note of this, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Jodhpur jail administration to ensure that he is examined by a specialist.
A bench comprising Justice Arvind Kumar and Justice P B Varale ordered jail authorities to arrange an examination by “a specialist doctor (a gastroenterologist)” at a government hospital.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, appearing for the Rajasthan government, informed the court that jail doctors had examined Wangchuk 21 times over the past four months, with the latest check-up conducted on January 26.
Wangchuk’s counsel, Kapil Sibal, objected to this submission and told the court that his client was suffering from persistent stomach pain, which he attributed to the quality of water available in jail.
Accepting Sibal’s argument, the court observed that medical treatment must be provided based on the patient’s needs and that an examination by a specialist was necessary.