The Delhi High Court has scheduled a hearing for March 25 on the plea of Sheikh Abdul Rashid, commonly known as Engineer Rashid, a Member of Parliament from Jammu and Kashmir, who is currently incarcerated. Rashid is seeking permission to attend the ongoing Parliament session despite being embroiled in legal battles.
Justices Chandra Dhari Singh and Anup J Bhambhani postponed the hearing following a request from the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The NIA’s counsel indicated that a trial court is expected to deliver a verdict on Rashid’s regular bail plea by March 19.
Engineer Rashid, who represents Baramulla and recently defeated Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, faces charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in a terror funding case dating back to 2017. His plea for custody parole or interim bail to attend Lok Sabha proceedings until April 4 was denied by a trial court on March 10.
In response to Rashid’s appeal, the NIA, on March 17, argued that Rashid should not be permitted to use his parliamentary status to avoid imprisonment. The agency emphasized that under the UAPA, granting bail is not feasible if the charges against him seem prima facie credible. The NIA also highlighted concerns about Rashid’s potential influence over witnesses in the region.
During the legal proceedings on March 12, the Delhi High Court requested the NIA’s stance on Rashid’s appeal. His counsel has advocated for the court to allow him to attend the Parliament on custody parole, referencing a prior instance where he was granted a two-day leave under similar conditions.
Rashid has been held in Delhi’s Tihar Jail since 2019 following his arrest in the 2017 case, where his involvement was alleged during the interrogation of businessman and co-accused Zahoor Watali. He was officially charged in October 2019, and by March 2022, a special NIA court had framed charges against him for several offenses, including criminal conspiracy, waging war against the government, sedition, and involvement in terror acts and funding.
