New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday (January 30) sought the response of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on a plea filed by Bramulla Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, seeking interim bail in a terror-funding case to attend upcoming Parliament session.
Rashid has urged the High Court to release him from Tihar Jail on interim bail to attend the upcoming budget session of the Parliament, which starts on January 31 and concludes on April 4. The Baramulla MP has sought custody parole in the alternative.
Justice Vikas Mahajan, while hearing Rashid’s plea, said, “Let the needful be done before the next date of hearing.”
Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, who appeared for the NIA, said he would seek instructions on the issue.
Rashid recently moved High Court seeking disposal of his bail plea before trial court
Rashid recently moved the High Court seeking disposal of his bail plea in a terror funding case pending before a trial court and the High Court had issued notice to the NIA and sought its response on Rashid’s plea.
What did Rashid tell High Court earlier?
During the hearing earlier, the counsel representing Rashid told the High Court that that his plea for bail in the alleged terror funding case was pending before a trial court for considerable period of time and had urged the High Court to direct either expeditious disposal of his bail plea or decide the matter itself.
Rashid won from Baramulla Lok Sabha seat
Rashid contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Baramulla parliamentary seat in Jammu and Kashmir and defeated his Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was his nearest rival. He contested the general elections from Tihar Jail, where he has been lodged in judicial custody under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) since 2019 after he was charged under the provisions of UAPA.
Rashid was earlier granted interim bail
A trial court earlier granted the Baramulla MP interim bail from September 10 to October 2 last year to enable him to campaign in the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir held last year. His interim bail was later extended by the trial court on the ground of the health condition of his father and he surrendered before the Tihar Jail authorities on October 28 last year.
