Synopsis
The Delhi High Court has requested the NIA's response regarding Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid's plea for interim bail to attend Parliament. Rashid, currently in custody, seeks to expedite his bail process amidst ongoing investigations into terror funding.Key Takeaways
- Delhi HC seeks NIA's position on Engineer Rashid's bail plea.
- Rashid won his constituency while in jail.
- NIA opposes his request for interim bail.
- Rashid's case may be transferred to MP/MLA court.
- He is requesting custody parole if bail is denied.
New Delhi, Feb 6 (NationPress) The Delhi High Court on Thursday requested the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to present its position regarding a plea filed by Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid for interim bail to participate in the ongoing Parliament session.
Engineer Rashid, who secured victory in the Lok Sabha elections from J&K’s Baramulla constituency by defeating National Conference Vice President and current J&K Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, by more than two lakh votes while he was incarcerated in Tihar Jail, faces allegations in a terror funding investigation conducted by the NIA.
"He (Rashid) is an elected Member of Parliament. What is the difficulty in sending him in custody? Come back with instructions tomorrow," remarked a bench led by Justice Vikas Mahajan to the attorney representing the federal anti-terror agency.
Engineer Rashid has approached the Delhi High Court requesting directives for the trial court judge to prioritize a resolution on his pending regular bail application or to resolve the matter independently.
Previously, a court recommended transferring his case to the MP/MLA court instead of issuing a ruling on the regular bail application, given Rashid's status as an MP.
In his pending plea before the Delhi HC, he has submitted an application requesting interim bail to attend the ongoing Budget session of Parliament, which commenced on January 31 and is set to conclude on April 4.
Alternatively, Engineer Rashid requested to be granted custody parole if interim bail is not possible, to attend the Parliament session.
The NIA has opposed Engineer Rashid's request for interim bail.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Delhi High Court sought a response from its registry regarding the appropriate designation of a court to adjudicate Rashid’s bail application.
Following the NIA’s attorney's submission that the anti-terror agency had previously made a representation regarding court designation in November of last year, the Justice Mahajan-led Bench issued a notice to the Registrar General to verify the status and scheduled a hearing for February 6.
During the Thursday hearing, the counsel for the Registrar General indicated that an application had been filed with the Supreme Court seeking clarification on court designation, mentioning that the issue would be brought before the Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Friday for urgent consideration.
Engineer Rashid was apprehended by the NIA in 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The ED had also initiated a money laundering case against him and others based on the NIA's FIR, accusing them of plotting to wage war against the government and inciting unrest in the Valley.
Engineer Rashid has represented the north Kashmir Langate Assembly constituency in J&K on two occasions. His brother, Sheikh Khurshid Ahmad, won the 2024 Assembly election from the Langate constituency.
