May 31, 2025: Mehraj Malik, an MLA for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been charged with criminal intimidation, defamation, and insulting the dignity of a female doctor by the Doda police.
An associate professor at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Doda filed a complaint, which led to the filing of the FIR. She said that the MLA publicly threatened her and made rude, gendered, and abusive comments about her on social media.
The doctor complained to the Doda police station about the Doda MLA's threats to hospital security, sexist insults, and criminal intimidation.
"Malik has openly threatened me and made rude, gendered, and abusive comments about me on social media in a number of really upsetting incidents. She claimed in the complaint that words like "will strip you nude" and "ghaseetunga" (I will drag you) have been used intentionally and openly.
"As a female doctor working at a government hospital, these are not just words; they are outright threats to my safety, dignity, and professional integrity. The modesty of a female public servant is obviously offended by these remarks, especially on social media," she continued.
The complainant asked the police to look into the accused's frequent use of disparaging language against her in his live social media recordings. As my father died more than 12 years ago, she remarked, "what is even more distressing is his taunt — 'This hospital does not belong to your father' — a statement that not only demonstrates arrogance but also great insensitivity."
In addition, the MLA allegedly streamed live on social media when he and his colleagues entered the labor room. "This is a serious breach of patient privacy, particularly for vulnerable patients and female employees," she said.
The AAP J&K chairman Malik's "brazen tactics to intimidate doctors, particularly women doctors, and undermine the hard-earned healthcare infrastructure in Doda" were denounced by the Jammu Doctors Forum (JDF), which was led by President Dr. Dushyant Chowdhry.
"His actions are a direct threat to the safety and dignity of healthcare workers serving the people of J&K and an affront to the sanctity of medical services," the Forum said in a statement.
Additionally, the Forum encouraged district authorities to include Section 351(2) of the BNS-2023, which deals with criminal intimidation by threatening public personnel in the lawful performance of their responsibilities, to the current FIR against Malik.