Delhi HC issues notice on Rashid’s plea against travel cost to attend Parliament

Terror accused Engineer Rashid, who was granted custody parole to attend the monsoon session from July 24 to August 4, moved court seeking interim bail and waiver of the travel fee

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday issued a notice on a petition by jailed Lok Sabha MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh (Engineer Rashid), who has sought a waiver of the trial court’s condition requiring him to bear the cost of travelling from Tihar Jail to Parliament to attend the ongoing monsoon session in custody. The Parliament session began on July 23 and will conclude on August 21.

Rashid, who represents the Baramulla constituency, said in his petition that he was issued a bill of ₹1.45 lakh per day. (ANI)

A bench of Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Shalinder Kaur sought National Investigation Agency (NIA)’s response and fixed July 29 as the next date of hearing. The NIA was represented by special public prosecutor Akshai Malik and advocate Khawar Saleem.

A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Tuesday allowed Terror accused Rashid to attend the Fifth Parliamentary Session in custody for 12 days from July 24 till August 4, subject to him bearing the travel cost, returning to jail in the evening, and not having access to cell phones to speak to the press.

Rashid, who represents the Baramulla constituency, said in his petition that he was issued a bill of ₹1.45 lakh per day, and the authorities had already raised a bill of ₹17 lakh.

The petition, argued by senior advocate N Hariharan along with advocate Vikhyat Oberoi, said that it was not possible for Rashid to arrange the substantial amount due to his custodial status and that the authorities were unjustified in imposing exorbitant fees in the name of travel conveyance and security.

Rashid has urged the court to permit him to attend the Parliament session in custody on all dates till August 21 or release him on interim bail till August 21.

The high court, while hearing a separate petition by Rashid in May seeking a waiver of the travel cost condition for attending the Parliament Budget Session, had directed him to deposit approximately ₹4 lakh with the jail authorities as travel expenses to attend the session in custody.

Rashid, an Independent MP and president of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case in 2019. The NIA has in the past objected to Rashid’s plea for bail, because he is facing very serious charges under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The agency has also said that Rashid was involved in the activities of various terrorist and secessionist groups, including the Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, and Lashkar-e-Taiba, in waging war against the Government of India.