In a first for Jammu and Kashmir, Aam Aadmi Party’s Doda MLA Mehraj Malik was on Monday detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA). Officials confirmed that Malik, who recently created history by becoming AAP’s first legislator in the Union Territory, is the first sitting MLA to face detention under the PSA.
Police cited as many as 18 FIRs and multiple public complaints against Malik, accusing him of abusing officials, obstructing relief and development works, and instigating youth in Doda district. Authorities said the detention was necessary to maintain public order, and hinted that more PSA detentions could follow in the coming days.
The PSA, an administrative law in J&K, allows detention without charge or trial for up to two years in certain cases. Officials said Malik’s conduct posed a threat to peace and governance in the region.
Malik, a prominent AAP face, had defeated his BJP rival by a margin of over 4,500 votes in the 2024 Assembly elections from Doda, marking his party’s maiden win in the UT. Earlier, in December 2020, he had won the District Development Council elections from Kahara constituency before resigning from the post after his Assembly victory in October 2024.
Authorities said that Malik’s “pattern of misconduct,” reflected in repeated FIRs and complaints, warranted strict administrative action under the PSA.
