Jammu and Kashmir MP Rashid Khan alias Engineer Rashid has moved a plea with the special court for hearing NIA cases, seeking interim bail to attend the upcoming session of Parliament.
Engineer Rashid, accused of funding terror activities by the National Investigation Agency, moved the plea saying he needed to attend the upcoming session to fulfil his public duty. Hearing the matter, Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh issued notice to the central agency and directed it to file a response by March 5.
Rashid has filed the plea seeking relief before the special court on February 27. The Parliament will next convene on March 10 for the second part of the budget session. The session will end on April 4.
Engineer Rashid’s petition comes as the special court is already hearing a regular bail plea filed by the Baramulla MP. The Delhi High Court had earlier directed the special court to expedite hearing on the bail plea. Earlier, the High Court granted two-day custody parole for Rashid to attend Parliament under severe restrictions. Rashid was restricted from using mobile phones or accessing internet during the parole.
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In February, the Delhi High Court said the NIA special court can hear Rashid’s bail plea after it directed the MP to approach the MP/MLA court for bail owing to his election as public representative. The High Court had approached the Supreme Court seeking clarification over the matter.
Engineer Rashid was elected from the Baramulla seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, defeating People Conference leader Omar Abdullah. He has been lodged in Tihar Jail since 2019 after the NIA arrested him under the UAPA in 2017 over charges of terror funding.
