New Delhi: A city court is likely to decide on December 19 whether to transfer the terror-funding case against Bramulla Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, to a special court designated to try lawmakers.
The hearing in the case was scheduled for Thursday (December 12), however, the matter could not be taken up as the judge hearing the case was on leave.
Special judge earlier recommended transfer of terror-funding case to a court designated to try lawmakers
A special judge had earlier recommended to the District Judge to transfer the alleged terror funding case in which Rashid is facing charges to a court designated to try lawmakers, observing that Rashid was now an MP. The special court had also recommended for transfer of the regular bail plea filed by Rashid and a related money laundering case.
Rashid won Lok Sabha election from Baramulla seat
Rashid, who is the chief of the Awami Ittihaad Party, is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail in the alleged terror funding case. He had successfully contested the Lok sabha elections from the Baramulla parliamentary seat in Jammu and Kashmir while being lodged in the jail and defeated his nearest rival and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Court earlier granted Rashid interim bail
The court earlier granted Rashid interim bail 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. His interim bail was later extended 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 National Investigation Agency (NIA) charged him under the provisions of UAPA in the case.
