Activist Sonam Wangchuk has been arrested by the police amid the unrest in Leh, Ladakh. Wangchuk is under the radar of the investigative agencies after several alleged discrepancies were detected in the accounts of his organisations and NGOs. The Centre also believes that his commentary and provocative statements may have incited the violence in the union territory that left 4 dead.

The Union Home Ministry had also cancelled the FCRA licence of Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), founded by Wangchuk with “immediate effect” on Thursday. The ministry said that certain transactions like the fund transfer from Sweden to the accounts of the organisation was against “national interest”.

The climate activist had accused the Centre of a “witch-hunt”. Wangchuk had claimed that his NGO did not receive foreign funding, and questioned the timing of the investigation which comes amid protests in Ladakh. The CBI has said that the preliminary enquiry was initiated two months ago.

(This is a breaking story)