J&K AAP MLA Mehraj Malik detained under PSA

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir administration on Monday detained AAP MLA Mehraj Malik, representing Doda constituency, under the Public Safety Act.

The detention came within days of Malik's harsh critique of Doda DM Harvinder Singh, alleging that the IAS officer was "misusing his authority and law to target the poor", referring to the issue of unpaid rent of a government dispensary. The MLA spoke against the DM in public meetings as well as during live interaction on social media platforms.

The district magistrate has now issued the PSA order against Malik, stating that his activities were prejudicial to maintaining public order.

Malik, the only AAP MLA, who won 2024 assembly elections with a margin of over 4,500 votes against his BJP opponent, became the first MLA to be booked under the draconian PSA, under which a person can be detained without a charge or trial for up to two years.

"There is no justification for detaining Mehraj Malik under PSA. He's not a threat to public safety," J&K CM Omar Abdullah said.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal asked whether demanding a hospital was a crime that an MLA has to be thrown in jail.