Ladakh police chief S. D. Singh Jamwal said on Saturday that activist Sonam Wangchuk is being investigated for alleged links with Pakistan and possible violations of foreign funding laws. &ldquo;We arrested a Pakistan PIO (intelligence operative) in the recent past who was reporting on him,&rdquo; Jamwal stated at a press conference in Leh, adding, &ldquo;He had attended a Dawn event in Pakistan. So, there is a big question mark on him.&rdquo;
Jamwal described Wangchuk as having a &ldquo;history of instigating&rdquo;, pointing to his references to movements such as the Arab Spring, as well as developments in Nepal and Bangladesh. &ldquo;The investigation into his funding is going on for FCRA violation,&rdquo; he said.
Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on Friday, two days after protests in Ladakh demanding statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule turned violent. The demonstrations, which he was leading while on a hunger strike, left four people dead and many others injured.
The DGP remarked that provocative speeches were delivered by &ldquo;so-called environmental activists&rdquo; in the buildup to the protests. &ldquo;This involved some so-called environmental activists; there is a question mark on their credibility as well,&rdquo; he said, accusing Wangchuk of trying to hijack the movement. &ldquo;They tried to hijack the platform, and the prime name here is Sonam Wangchuk,&rdquo; Jamwal asserted, alleging that he had earlier attempted to derail discussions with the Centre.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Digvijay Singh criticised Wangchuk&rsquo;s detention, calling it unjustified. &ldquo;Sonam Wangchuk has given an identity to Ladakh, its culture and its heritage. He served in every possible way, through education and through healthcare,&rdquo; Singh said, adding that the NSA had been imposed on a person who &ldquo;follows Gandhian philosophy.&rdquo;
He further recalled that the Prime Minister had praised Wangchuk up until 2019. &ldquo;The government promised statehood as well as the Sixth Schedule after the elections, but they did not keep their promise,&rdquo; Singh remarked.

Sonam Wangchuk probed for Pakistan ‘links’

Ladakh DGP cites Dawn event, FCRA probe; protests turned violent with 4 deaths

Sonam Wangchuk probed for Pakistan ‘links’

Ladakh DGP cites Dawn event, FCRA probe; protests turned violent with 4 deaths

September 27, 2025 | 18:56 IST