Engineer Rashid seeks bail to attend Winter Session of Parliament
Engineer Rashid, accused in a terror funding case, is the chief of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and represents the Baramulla constituency in Lok Sabha.
Lok Sabha MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh, also known as Engineer Rashid, has filed an application in Delhi's Patiala House Court seeking interim bail to attend the ongoing Winter Session of parliament.
Engineer Rashid is the President of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and represents Jammu and Kashmir's Baramullah constituency in the lower house.
Rashid is in judicial custody in connection with a terror funding case being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
During the hearing, Rashid addressed the court via video conference, stating that he needs interim bail to fulfil his duties as an elected representative.
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He expressed his concern over being unable to attend the last session of parliament, pleading, “With folded hands, I request that I may be granted interim bail.”
Another accused also participated through video conferencing, expressing confusion about the proceedings and requesting to appear in person before the court.
Meanwhile, Principal District and Sessions Judge Vimal Kumar Yadav has decided to postpone jurisdictional hearings in the NIA case involving public representatives (MPs/MLAs) accused.
NIA, Rashid on the transfer of case to special court
On November 21, the NIA special court recommended the transfer of the case to a special court designated for MPs/MLAs due to Rashid's status as an elected official. The court urged the District Judge of Patiala House Court to send the case to this specialised judge.
Both the counsel for the NIA and the accused parties argued that the case should not be transferred to a special court for MPs/MLAs, citing the lack of such a provision in the NIA Act.
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The special public prosecutor for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also suggested that the case remain in the current court.
Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra appeared on behalf of the NIA, while advocate Vikhyat Oberoi, representing Engineer Rashid, noted that the bail plea has been pending for 2-3 months. He mentioned that all accused seek an expeditious trial.
While recommending this transfer, the court also forwarded all pending applications, including Engineer Rashid's regular bail plea, to the District Judge.
What is the case against Engineer Rashid?
Engineer Rashid was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in August 2019 in connection with a terror funding case.
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Despite the charges against him, Rashid filed his nomination for the 2024 parliamentary elections from jail and defeated Omar Abdullah in Baramulla.
In 2022, the NIA court directed the probe agency to frame charges against Engineer Rashid and several others including Hafiz Saeed, Syed Salahuddin, Yasin Malik, Shabbir Shah, Masrat Alam, Zahoor Ahmed Watali, Bitta Karate, Aftab Ahmed Shah, Avtar Ahmed Shah, Naeem Khan, and Bashir Ahmed Butt (also known as Peer Saifullah).
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