Senior advocate Kotwal opts out of team contesting case of AAP MLA detained under PSA

Jammu, Sep 18 (PTI) Senior advocate and president of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association Jammu, Nirmal K Kotwal, on Thursday opted out of the team of lawyers contesting the case of detained AAP MLA Mehraj Malik, citing his "insensitive and irresponsible" utterances on social media regarding national security, sovereignty, and integrity of India.

AAP on Sunday announced a 10-member legal team to challenge the detention of its Jammu and Kashmir unit president and sitting MLA Mehraj Malik under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA).

Malik (37) was detained on September 8 in Doda for allegedly disturbing public order in the district. His detention sparked violent protests, following which authorities imposed prohibitory restrictions and snapped mobile internet and broadband services.

"In keeping with my conscience, professional ethics, and commitment to national integrity, I hereby recuse myself from representing Malik in the matter concerning the PSA proceedings. The unity and sovereignty of India are non-negotiable, and any act or statement undermining them cannot be condoned under any circumstances," Kotwal said in a statement.

Clarifying his stand on certain issues that came to his knowledge through social media platforms regarding Malik, he said, "It has come to my notice that certain videos are in circulation wherein Malik has allegedly stated that J&K is not a part of India and has also praised militant Burhan Wani and terrorist Masood Azhar." He said these videos and statements were never brought to his knowledge by the legal team of AAP while briefing him in connection with the matter wherein PSA was imposed against Malik.

He said these utterances, if true, are extremely "insensitive, irresponsible, and detrimental" to the cause of national security, sovereignty, and integrity. "As an officer of the court and as a citizen of this great nation, I place the interest of the nation above all else," he said.

In a post on X on Sunday, senior AAP leader and former Delhi minister Imran Hussain announced a legal team to fight Malik’s case in the court.

"AAP stands strong with our MLA Mehraj Malik, arrested under PSA. A strong legal team led by Senior Advocate Nirmal K Kotwal with Adv Muzaffar Khan, Adv Sheik Shakeel Ahmad and Adv Appu Singh (Assisting Counsel), supported by Arvind Bandral, Joginder Singh Thakur, Gaurav Sarangal, Sandeep Sharma, Asim Hashmi and M Tariq Mughal, will fight this case," Hussain wrote. PTI AB AB MNK MNK