Synopsis
The Delhi High Court has sought a response from its registry regarding the appropriate court designation to hear the bail application of Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid, who is involved in a terror funding case under investigation by the NIA.Key Takeaways
- The Delhi High Court is involved in a case concerning Engineer Rashid's bail plea.
- Rashid is accused in a terror funding investigation led by the NIA.
- The court has requested clarification on the designation of the appropriate court.
- Rashid seeks interim bail to attend Parliament sessions.
- The NIA opposes his bail application.
New Delhi, Feb 4 (NationPress) The Delhi High Court has requested a response from its registry regarding the selection of a suitable court to address the bail application of Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid, who is implicated in a terror funding investigation conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The court was informed that in November of the previous year, the anti-terror agency had submitted a request to the registry concerning the designation of the NIA court to handle cases involving lawmakers. In response, a bench led by Justice Vikas Mahajan issued a notice to the Registrar General to determine the current status and scheduled a hearing for February 6.
During the proceedings, the bench was informed that the Registrar General had already submitted a request to the Supreme Court for clarification on the court designation issue.
Engineer Rashid has filed a petition with the Delhi High Court urging the trial court judge to expedite the decision on his pending regular bail application or to resolve the matter on its own.
Previously, a court had opted not to issue a ruling on the regular bail application and instead advised the District Judge to transfer his case to the MP/MLA court since Rashid is now a Member of Parliament.
In his current plea before the Delhi HC, he has requested interim bail to participate in the ongoing Budget session of Parliament, which commenced on January 31 and is set to conclude on April 4. As an alternative, Engineer Rashid has sought custody parole should his interim bail request be denied.
The NIA has opposed Engineer Rashid's plea for interim bail. He secured victory in the Lok Sabha elections from J&K’s Baramulla constituency by defeating National Conference (NC) Vice President and then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, winning by over two lakh votes while he was incarcerated in Tihar Jail.
Engineer Rashid was detained by the NIA in 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The ED has also initiated a money laundering case against him and others based on the NIA's FIR, which charged them with conspiring to wage war against the government and inciting unrest in the Valley.
On December 24, 2024, Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh recommended that the District Judge transfer Rashid’s case to a court designated for lawmakers, given his current status as a Member of Parliament. The Additional Sessions Judge dismissed Rashid's request for a verdict on his pending bail application in the NIA case.
Engineer Rashid has previously represented the north Kashmir Langate Assembly constituency in J&K twice. His brother, Sheikh Khurshid Ahmad, won the 2024 Assembly election from the same constituency.
