The J&K and Ladakh High Court on Monday invalidated the detention order of J&K’s only Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA, Mehraj Malik, who was held under the Public Safety Act in 2025. Justice Mohd Yousuf Wani declared in court that Malik’s detention under the Public Safety Act had been revoked. The court deemed the grounds for detention unsustainable, putting an end to his custody since September 8, 2025, when he was the first sitting MLA in J&K to be detained under this law.
Over 18 cases and police reports were referenced, with a 33-page dossier compiled against him. Despite this, the High Court found the application of the Public Safety Act, which permits detention without trial, to be unwarranted and granted a habeas corpus petition. Malik’s detention, the first of a sitting MLA under the Public Safety Act in the Union Territory, led to protests, internet shutdowns, and political debates.
Malik contested the order through a habeas corpus petition in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, seeking the annulment of the detention and Rs 5 crore in compensation. J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and other leaders criticized the detention. Malik is now awaiting release after the completion of legal procedures. Advocates representing the MLA mentioned that the court annulled the detention order issued under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act following a habeas corpus petition filed by Malik challenging his detention.
