- AAP MLA Mehraj Malik walks free after eight months as High Court quashes PSA detention
- High Court calls PSA order legally unsustainable, Mehraj Malik gets major relief
Jammu, April 28: Aam Aadmi Party MLA and Jammu and Kashmir unit president Mehraj Malik was released from Kathua Jail on Tuesday after spending nearly eight months in detention under the Public Safety Act, a day after the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh quashed the detention order.
Malik had been detained on September 8, 2025, for allegedly disturbing public order and was later lodged in Kathua Jail. His release followed the High Court’s decision to set aside the PSA order, holding that the detention was legally unsustainable and suffered from “non-application of mind.” The Court had ordered his immediate release after quashing the preventive detention order.
The AAP leader had challenged his detention by filing a habeas corpus petition before the High Court on September 24, 2025. In the petition, he had questioned the legality of his detention and sought Rs 5 crore as compensation. The Court had reserved its order on February 23, 2026, and pronounced its decision on Monday, paving the way for his release.
Confirming the release, Malik’s lawyer and AAP spokesperson Appu Singh Slathia said the jail authorities released him after completion of all required formalities. The development came as a major relief for the AAP legislator, whose detention had remained a subject of political and legal discussion in Jammu and Kashmir.
As Malik stepped out of Kathua Jail, he was greeted by supporters and party workers who had gathered outside the jail premises. He was welcomed with garlands, slogans, and celebrations. Later, when he reached his residence in Jammu, party workers and supporters accorded him a warm reception with flowers, dhol beats, firecrackers, and distribution of sweets.
An emotional scene was witnessed at his residence as Malik was received by his parents, who embraced him after his release. Addressing supporters, Malik described his release as a “victory of the people” and said his struggle would continue. He maintained that his politics was not driven by personal interest but by the desire to work for public welfare.
“Our struggle will continue. It will not change. It is not a struggle based on politics, but on the thoughts and drive of people’s welfare,” Malik told reporters, urging youth to come forward and participate in politics.
In his address, Malik said that his detention was not merely an action against one individual, but an attempt to silence the voice, aspirations and strength of the people. With visible emotion, he called his release a victory of truth over falsehood and said that people now understood who stood on the right side.
He also spoke strongly in favour of constitutional values and democratic principles, saying India’s strength lies in its Constitution and its democratic framework. Malik urged people to stay away from divisive politics and protect the constitutional spirit of the nation.
“India is the largest democracy in the world, and I am proud of it,” he said, adding that citizens must remain alert against tendencies that weaken social unity and democratic values.
Malik’s family members also welcomed the release and termed it a victory of truth. His father, Shammas Din, said his son had always worked for the people and their welfare, adding that truth ultimately prevails.
Delhi AAP MLA Imran Hussain also welcomed the High Court’s decision and thanked the judiciary for quashing the case. He said the judgment had brought out the truth and removed what he termed an unjust burden imposed on Malik.