The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh high court on Monday reserved its order on a habeas corpus petition filed by Doda East Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Mehraj Malik challenging his detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
Malik was detained on September 8 last year by the Doda district magistrate under Section 8 of the J&K Public Safety Act, 1978, for allegedly disturbing public order. At present, he is lodged in the Kathua jail.
The petition seeks to quash the detention order and ₹5-crore compensation for his “illegal incarceration”.
Justice Mohammad Yousuf Wani heard arguments from state counsels Sunil Sethi and Monica Kohli, as well as Malik’s legal team. After the arguments concluded, the court reserved the matter for pronouncement of orders.
Advocate Appu Singh Slathia, also an AAP spokesperson, said the court granted both parties one week to submit a written synopsis or any additional submissions.
During the proceedings, Malik’s counsel argued that the government’s “lackadaisical approach” kept a sitting legislator behind bars.
“It has been a long and challenging legal journey, but we remain hopeful and confident in the judicial process,” Slathia said, while appealing to AAP activists and Malik’s supporters to remain calm and patient while awaiting the final verdict.
