JAMMU, March 19 – A Jammu court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Doda MLA Mehraj Malik in a defamation case filed by former Inderwal MLA Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, stemming from a controversial political statement made during an election campaign 2-3 years ago, court documents showed.
The warrant, issued by the Special Excise Mobile Magistrate in Janipur, Jammu, on March 17, directs the Station House Officer (SHO) of Gandoh Police Station to arrest Malik and produce him in court by May 14. The case falls under Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with defamation, according to the court order.
The legal battle traces back to a political statement made by Malik, a member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), during the 2022-2023 election campaign period in the Chenab Valley. Saroori, a three-time MLA of Inderwal who contested the 2024 elections as an independent after leaving the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), filed the defamation suit, alleging that Malik’s remarks damaged his reputation.
Malik, who made history in 2024 as AAP’s first MLA in Jammu and Kashmir by winning the Doda Assembly seat, is known for his vocal criticism of the administration. He defeated BJP’s Gajay Singh Rana by 4,538 votes in the elections. Saroori, meanwhile, lost his bid to retain the Inderwal seat to independent candidate Payare Lal Sharma.
A close aide of Malik, speaking to The Chenab Times on condition of anonymity, said the MLA’s team is reviewing the case and has handed it over to their legal team. “We are addressing this matter legally and will take appropriate steps. No further statements will be made at this time,” the aide said.
The issuance of a non-bailable warrant indicates that Malik may have failed to appear in court or comply with prior summons, escalating the legal proceedings. Under Section 499 of the IPC, defamation can lead to imprisonment for up to two years, a fine, or both.
The case highlights the intense political rivalry in the Chenab Valley, where the 2024 elections saw multi-cornered contests involving candidates from AAP, BJP, National Conference, Congress, DPAP, and independents. Political analysts say defamation cases are often used in India to settle scores during heated election campaigns, though they can also reflect genuine grievances over reputational harm.
Neither Malik nor Saroori were immediately available for comment. The Chenab Valley, encompassing Doda and Inderwal, has been a hotbed of political activity since the 2022 delimitation exercise, which added new constituencies and set the stage for the 2024 Assembly elections, the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
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Anzer Ayoob is the Founder and Chief Editor to The Chenab Times
