New Delhi: Bramulla Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, moved a city court seeking interim bail in an alleged terror funding case and urged the court on Monday (November 25) to grant him the relief to attend the ongoing Parliament session.
Rashid, who is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail in an alleged terror funding case, is the chief of the Awami Ittihaad Party and he had successfully contested the general elections from the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir while being lodged in the jail. He defeated his nearest rival and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Rashid appeared before court from Tihar Jail virtually
Rashid appeared before the court through video conferencing and urged Principal District and Sessions Judge Vimal Kumar Yadav to grant him interim bail to attend the ongoing Lok Sabha session.
“I have been elected by my people. I was not allowed to attend the last session. With folded hands, I request you that I may be granted interim bail,” Rashid urged the court, news agency PTI reported.
The judge, after hearing submissions, asked the National Investigation Agency to file a response to Rashid’s plea for interim bail by November 27.
Special court recently recommended to transfer cases against Rashid to a court designated to try lawmakers
The court was hearing the matter after a special court recommended to the District Judge to transfer of the alleged terror funding case to a court designated to try lawmakers, observing that Rashid was now an MP. The special court had also recommended for transfer of Rashid’s regular bail plea and a related money laundering case.
The hearing in these matters would be resumed by the district court on November 27.
Court earlier granted Rashid interim bail
Rashid was earlier granted interim bail by the court from September 10 to October 2 in the alleged terror funding case to enable him to campaign in the recently-held Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. The court had later extended his interim bail on the ground of health condition of his father and he surrendered before the Tihar Jail authorities on October 28.
Rashid has been lodged in judicial custody in Tihar Jail in the alleged terror funding case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) since 2019 after he the National Investigation Agency (NIA) charged him under the provisions of UAPA in the case.
