HC to hear detained AAP MLA’s plea on December 4

The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has listed a plea filed by detained Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Mehraj Malik for final consideration on December 4 after hearing the arguments, a member of MLA’s legal counsel said on Thursday.

Malik, who is the AAP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit president, was detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) on September 8 for allegedly disturbing public order and was subsequently lodged in the Kathua jail. On September 24, Malik filed a habeas corpus petition, challenging his detention and claiming Rs 5 crore as compensation.

“Case came up in the court of Justice Yousef Wani of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh at Jammu on Thursday. During arguments, senior advocate Rahul Panth argued strongly that the grounds of detention are illegal. He detailed the case vociferously in all aspects. Arguments continued for over one and a half hours,” AAP spokesperson Appu Singh Salathia said.

After hearing the arguments, Justice Wani adjourned the case and listed the matter for final hearing on December 4, she said.

Salathia is also an advocate and part of the Malik’s legal team that includes senior advocate Rahul Pant, advocates SS Ahmed, M Tariq Mughal and M Zulkarnain Chowdhary, too.