Delhi HC allows J&K MP Engineer Rashid two-day custody parole to attend Parliament
Baramulla MP has been allowed to attend the ongoing budget session of Parliament on February 11 and 13.
The Delhi high court on Monday allowed jailed Baramulla MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, two-day custody parole to attend the ongoing budget session of Parliament on February 11 and 13.
There is no sitting of the House on February 12 on account of Guru Ravidas Jayanti. The first leg of the budget session will adjourn on February 13 and will resume on March 10.
Justice Vikas Mahajan pronounced the order at 2:30 pm on a plea by the MP, who is facing trial in a terror funding case. The judge had reserved the order on Friday.
Rashid had moved the high court earlier alleging that he had been left without any remedy after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court dealing with his bail application left him in a limbo post his election to the Lok Sabha last year on account of it not being a special MP/MLA court.
As interim relief, he prayed for grant of custody parole.
The counsel appearing for the NIA opposed the grant of custody parole, saying Rashid had no vested right to attend Parliament and he had not shown any “specific purpose” while seeking the relief.
The agency had also raised security concerns as well.
Rashid has been lodged in Tihar Jail in the national capital since 2019 after the NIA arrested him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the 2017 terror-funding case.