Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul of the high court of J&K and Ladakh, on Wednesday, directed UT administration headed by LG Manoj Sinha to file response to a Habeas Corpus petition filed by jailed AAP MLA, Mehraj Malik, who has challenged his detention.
Malik was detained under stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) on September 8 for allegedly disturbing public order in rain-battered Doda district.
The AAP MLA has sought quashment of his detention order issued by district magistrate, Doda, under Section 8 of J&K Public Safety Act, 1978.
After hearing senior advocate Rahul Pant with advocates SS Ahmed, Appu Singh Slathia and other team members, justice Vinod Chatterji Koul also issued post admission notices to the principal secretary to government of J&K, home department, district magistrate, Doda, SSP Doda and superintendent of district Jail, Kathua, which were accepted in the open court by senior additional advocate general Monika Kohli, who appeared for Government of J&K.
The court granted time to senior AAG to file the response by or before the next date of hearing-- October 14. The court also issued notice to private respondent --S Harvinder Singh (IAS)-deputy commissioner, Doda.
When this matter came up for hearing, Pant, appearing for detenue Malik, submitted that the shortest possible time be granted to the respondents to file their reply, looking into the urgency involved in the matter as the detenue is an elected representative who is presently detained and is required by the public for carrying out various activities attached to his office.
{{/usCountry}}When this matter came up for hearing, Pant, appearing for detenue Malik, submitted that the shortest possible time be granted to the respondents to file their reply, looking into the urgency involved in the matter as the detenue is an elected representative who is presently detained and is required by the public for carrying out various activities attached to his office.
{{/usCountry}}The detenue has taken several grounds in the petition to assail the preventive detention order issued by district magistrate, Doda, including his alleged personal bias.
The AAP MLA has also claimed ₹ 5 crores compensation from the respondents for curtailing his personal liberty.