Delhi Court Grants Custody Parole to MP Engineer Rashid to Attend Budget Session of Parliament
Delhi court granted custody parole to jailed MP Engineer Rashid to attend the Budget Session of Parliament
A Delhi Court on Saturday granted custody parole to jailed Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid, allowing him to attend the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament beginning January 28.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Prashant Sharma of Patiala House Court passed the order permitting Rashid’s presence in Parliament under armed police escort, subject to the conditions earlier imposed by the court, including bearing travel and security-related expenses.
Custody parole allows a prisoner to visit a specified place under continuous supervision of police personnel and does not amount to release from judicial custody.
During the hearing, Rashid’s counsel, Advocate Vikhyat Oberoi informed the Court that an appeal filed by the MP challenging the condition requiring him to bear travel costs is pending before the Delhi High Court. The trial court, however, allowed Rashid to attend the session while keeping the existing conditions intact.
Previously, in November 2025, the Court had permitted Rashid to attend the sixth session of the 18th Lok Sabha while remaining in custody. The ASJ had reserved orders on November 26.
The Court had reiterated that Rashid will be subject to the same conditions earlier imposed when he was allowed custodial parole to attend the Monsoon Session. The detailed conditions, including escort arrangements and restrictions on movement, will continue to govern his attendance in Parliament.
During the hearing, the judge had noted that the question of who must bear Rashid’s travel and security costs remains unresolved. That issue, he said, will be addressed separately in line with the appeal pending before the Delhi High Court.
Rashid, elected from Baramulla after defeating former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has been lodged in Tihar Jail since 2019 following his arrest by the National Investigation Agency in a 2017 terror funding case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Notably, on September 6, 2025, the Court had permitted Rashid to visit Parliament in custody on September 9 to cast his vote in the Vice-Presidential election.
Earlier, on August 18, 2025, the High Court had reserved its order on a plea moved by Rashid challenging a trial court’s order imposing costs on him as a condition for granting custody parole to attend Parliament. On August 12, 2025, the high court had asked Delhi Police to explain the basis of the travel cost imposed on Engineer Rashid, as a condition for granting him custody parole to attend Parliament.
It is to be noted that on July 31, 2025, the Court had issued notice to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on a plea filed by Rashid challenging the trial court’s order framing charges against him in a terror funding case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
In an earlier hearing, the high court had sought a response from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Rashid's plea challenging a trial court order directing him to pay Rs 1.44 lakh per day for travelling to Parliament in custody between July 24 and August 4.
On July 22, 2025, the Special NIA Court at Patiala House had granted custody parole to Engineer Rashid to enable his attendance during the monsoon session of Parliament, scheduled from July 24 to August 4, subject to the condition that he bears the travel and security expenses himself.
Previously, Engineer Rashid had approached the High Court seeking custody parole to attend the parliament budget session. He argued that he was allowed to campaign for the elections without any objection from the NIA, but was not being allowed to fulfil his constitutional duties as a member of parliament.
Bench: Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Prashant Sharma
Order Date: January 24, 2026
[Inputs: PTI]