Avinash Azad
In a major legal move, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday announced the constitution of a high-profile panel of senior advocates from Jammu to challenge the Public Safety Act (PSA) detention of its legislator, Mehraj Malik, lodged in District Jail Kathua.
According to Delhi’s Ex-Minister and AAP MLA from Ballimaran Assembly, Imran Hussain, a formidable legal team has been set up to take the fight to the court. “AAP stands rock solid behind our MLA Mehraj Malik, who has been arrested under PSA. A strong legal team led by senior Advocate Nirmal K. Kotwal, with Advocate Muzaffar Khan, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmad and Advocate Appu Singh (assisting counsel), supported by Arvind Bandral, Joginder Singh Thakur, Gaurav Sarangal, Sandeep Sharma, Asim Hashmi and Tariq Mughal will fight this case,” Hussain posted on X this afternoon.
Advocate Nirmal K. Kotwal, incumbent President of the Bar Association Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, will spearhead the team. Advocate Muzaffar Khan, a former Judge and sitting MLA from Thanamandi (Rajouri), brings both political and judicial insight, while Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmad, a prominent activist-lawyer known for his socialist-democratic approach, adds legal activism credentials to the challenge.
AAP leaders said the legal panel was in fact put into motion from day one of Malik’s detention, when he was first placed under house arrest and later shifted to Kathua Jail under PSA orders issued by the district administration.
The party came down heavily on the administration, accusing it of “silencing opposition voices through draconian measures.” Imran Hussain and other AAP functionaries described Malik’s arrest as an “attack on democracy” and vowed to continue the legal and political battle until his release. Notably, Malik’s arrest has already triggered widespread protests across Chenab Valley and other regions, with demonstrations erupting in villages and blocks of Jammu and Kashmir. His rising popularity—fueled by his relentless stand against corruption, unemployment and governance failures—has reportedly unnerved the establishment.
To curb growing unrest, authorities have imposed restrictions on gatherings of more than four persons in several sensitive areas. Malik, known for his fiery speeches and strong connect with youth and marginalized sections, has fast emerged as a mass leader. His detention, observers say, underscores the growing unease of the administration with voices of dissent in the region. For now, all eyes remain on the Jammu & Kashmir High Court, where the AAP-backed legal offensive is set to unfold in the coming days.
