Jammu: AAP MLA Mehraj Malik Detained Under PSA, Sparks Political Uproar
In an unprecedented move, Mehraj Malik, a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was detained on Monday under the Public Safety Act (PSA) in Doda district for allegedly disturbing public order, officials said. This marks the first time a sitting MLA has been held under the stringent PSA, which allows detention without charge or trial for up to two years.
The detention drew sharp criticism from multiple political quarters. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described Malik as “not a threat to public safety” and called the use of the PSA “wrong,” labeling it a “discredited law.”
The 37-year-old MLA, who heads AAP’s J-K unit, was initially held at Dak Bungalow as he prepared to visit flood-affected areas in his constituency. Officials said a dossier was prepared against Malik, and he was later shifted to Bhaderwah district jail on orders of Doda’s Deputy Commissioner, Harvinder Singh, with whom Malik had an ongoing social media spat.
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Secretariat issued an official notice citing the PSA detention, stating that Malik’s activities were “prejudicial to the maintenance of public order” and posed a “grave threat to peace, public order and tranquility” in the district.
CM Abdullah condemned the detention on X, saying, “There is no justification for detaining Mehraj Malik under PSA. If the unelected government can use its powers against an elected representative, how can the people of J&K continue to trust democracy?”
The detention comes amid protests by government employees supporting Deputy Commissioner Singh. The employees accused Malik of “habitually” abusing senior officials and inciting youth against the administration. They praised Singh for his service and condemned Malik’s alleged use of abusive language and baseless allegations.
Authorities noted that Malik faced multiple cases over the past year for his alleged confrontations with officials. Several of his associates have also been detained under the PSA, with additional security deployed in sensitive areas.
AAP leaders strongly criticized the move. Party chief Arvind Kejriwal said on X in Hindi, “Is demanding a hospital for your constituents such a crime that an elected MLA is jailed? Mehraj Malik is the lion of AAP and will continue to fight for the people. Jail, threats, and conspiracies cannot intimidate AAP workers.”
Opposition parties, including PDP and People’s Conference, condemned the detention as an attack on democracy. PDP MLA Waheed Para called it a “direct assault” on elected representatives, while CPM leader M.Y. Tarigami demanded immediate revocation of the PSA. People’s Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone called the move “yet another assault on the democratic fabric of J&K.”
Conversely, the J-K BJP welcomed the action, saying those who use “abusive and unparliamentary language” against officials must face the law.
While detained, Malik shared a video on social media claiming he was being blocked from visiting constituents suffering from recent floods. He accused the deputy commissioner of orchestrating protests against him and alleged harassment of his colleagues.
Malik has previously courted controversy, including a scuffle in the Assembly in April over remarks about Hindus and PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. He won the Doda constituency in the 2024 elections, marking AAP’s first assembly seat in the Union Territory, and had earlier secured a seat in the District Development Council elections from Kahara in 2020.
