Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 8: Cops in mountainous Doda district today detained a legislator under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA).
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A very senior Police officer informed that multiple FIRs stand registered against the erring MLA Mehraj Malik at Police Stations of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Jammu and other districts.
Sources informed that crime list of the only Aam Admi Party (AAP) MLA in J&K representing Doda constituency is long and about 18 FIRs stand against him at different Police Stations for crimes of different nature and the most recent of these is regarding theft of hospital equipments.
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Meanwhile, in an official communique, the J&K Assembly Secretariat informed: “It has been highlighted/reported in some media reports, social media Platforms, X (formerly Twitter) that the J&K Legislative Assembly Secretariat has endorsed the slapping of provisions of Public Safety Act 1978 on Mehraj Malik, MLA (52-Doda Assembly Constituency) which is factually Incorrect and baseless as the Secretariat has no role in it.”
It further read: “However, this Secretariat was under an obligation in terms of Rule 260 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in J&K Legislative Assembly to inform all the Members of J&K Legislative Assembly about the aforesaid arrest/detention of the Member.”
After arresting the MLA, cops shifted him to district Jail Kathua.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said there was no justification for detaining MLA Doda Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
In a post on ‘X’, after earlier stating he was not aware of the details of Malik’s detention, the Chief Minister wrote: “There is no justification for detaining Mehraj Malik under PSA. He’s not a threat to ‘public safety’ and using this discredited law to detain him is wrong.”
He added that if the unelected Government could use its powers against an elected representative in this manner, “then how does anyone expect the people of J&K to continue to have faith in democracy.”
Meanwhile, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal slammed the detention of MLA Mehraj Malik, under PSA.
“Is demanding a hospital for the people of your area such a grave crime that an elected MLA has to be thrown in jail for it? Mehraj Malik is the lion of the Aam Aadmi Party,” Kejriwal said in a post on X.
“He will always remain the voice of the people, fighting for their rights. Jail, threats, and conspiracies… none of these can ever scare any soldier of AAP,” the Aam Aadmi Party national convenor said.
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