New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday granted two-day custody parole to incarcerated Jammu and Kashmir MP Engineer Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly known as Rashid Engineer, allowing him to attend the ongoing Parliament session. The decision was pronounced by Justice Vikas Mahajan after Rashid filed a plea seeking temporary release for this purpose.
Rashid, who represents the Baramulla constituency, is currently facing trial in a terror funding case and has been lodged in Tihar Jail since 2019. He was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with a 2017 terror-funding case.
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The MP had approached the High Court after his bail application remained unresolved following his election to the Lok Sabha last year. Rashid argued that the NIA court handling his case was not a special MP/MLA court, leaving him without a clear legal remedy. As interim relief, he sought custody parole to fulfill his parliamentary duties.
However, the NIA opposed the plea, stating that Rashid had no inherent right to attend Parliament and failed to specify a โspecific purposeโ for seeking the relief. The agency also raised security concerns regarding his temporary release.
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Despite the objections, the court ruled in favor of Rashid, granting him custody parole for two days. The judge had reserved the order on February 7 after hearing arguments from both sides.
Rashidโs case has drawn significant attention due to his dual status as an elected MP and an undertrial in a high-profile terror funding case. The decision to grant him parole highlights the ongoing legal and political complexities surrounding his situation.
