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In another application filed by Rashid seeking bail, the bench of Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani directed the Investigating officer of the case to file a report including the description of what has been collected, from whom, from which entity, and in what form.
On Thursday, Senior Advocate Hariharan, representing Engineer Rashid, accused in a terror-funding case told Delhi HC that the President has asked him to convene a session in prison. These submissions were made in a petition filed by Rashid alias Abdul Rashid Sheikh, seeking permission to attend the forthcoming Budget Session of Parliament.
Senior Advocate Hariharan also argued that even though Rashid was granted bail by the trial court in September 2024 for campaigning, his current application for bail has been pending for five months. Senior Advocate Hariharan, further commented 'When it suits them (NIA), I can get interim bail for campaigning. When it does not suit them, I cannot get interim bail'.
However, Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra appearing for National Investigating Agency (NIA) informed the court that he was unable to argue the case and sought adjournment to seek directions from the department.
Engineer Rashid, an Independent Member of Parliament from Baramulla, Jammu, and Kashmir, sought urgent relief considering that the Budget Session was scheduled from January 31 to April 4. Engineer Rashid has urged the high court to either expedite the disposal of his pending bail application before a lower court or decide on the matter itself.
The bench of Justice Vikas Mahajan directed NIA to submit their reply within 2 days. In December 2024, Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh dismissed Rashid’s plea, in which he had urged the court to pronounce a verdict on his pending bail application.
The judge had earlier requested the district judge to transfer the case to a court designated for lawmakers since Rashid had been elected as an MP. However, after the case was sent back to him, he ruled that he could only decide on miscellaneous applications and not the regular bail plea.
In September 2024, Engineer Rashid was granted interim bail by the Rouse Avenue Court to campaign in the elections.
Background:
Engineer Rashid won the Baramulla parliamentary seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, he had been in judicial custody at Tihar Jail since 2019 following his arrest by the NIA under the UAPA Act in connection with a 2017 terror-funding case.
Rashid was involved after allegations surfaced during the investigation of Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who was accused of financing terrorist organizations and separatist activities in Kashmir.
Subsequently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a money laundering case based on the NIA’s FIR, which accused Rashid and others of conspiring to wage war against the government and inciting unrest in Kashmir. The cases filed by the NIA and the ED also involved Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba chief and 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin, and others.
Case Title: Abdul Rashid Sheikh v NIA (W.P.(CRL)-233/2025)[Inputs: Hindustan Times]
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