Delhi court reserves order on Kashmir MP Engineer Rashid’s bail plea in terror funding case

A Delhi court on Wednesday, reserved its order on the bail plea of Kashmiri parliamentarian Sheikh Abdul Rashid. The MP had applied for bail in a terror funding case. The court is likely to pronounce order on September 4.

Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, has filed an application in court seeking regular bail in the case.

During an in camera hearing, which is not available for the public, Additional Seasons Judge (ASJ) Chanderjit Singh heard arguments of both sides and took Rashid's plea in consideration. Later, the judge reserved his order in the case.

The judge had on August 20 issued a notice to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and directed it to file its response by August 28 on his plea.

Sheikh Rashid, the terror funding accused who won Lok Sabha elections from jail

Sheikh Rashid, who enjoys immense popularity and support in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla won Lok Sabha Elections from the area earlier this year. After his victory, the court had granted Rashid custody parole to take the oath of office as Lok Sabha MP.

Rashid has been in jail since 2019 after he was arrested by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the 2017 terror funding case. He is lodged in Tihar jail.

His name cropped up during the investigation of Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested by the NIA for allegedly funding terrorist groups and separatists in the Kashmir Valley.

The NIA had filed a charge sheet against several people, including Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, in the case.

Malik was sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court in 2022 after he pleaded guilty to the charges.

Engineer Rashid's arrest

Enginer Rashid was arrested by the Special Operations Group (SOG) in Srinagar in 2005 for allegedly supporting militants. Later, he was held in prison for three months and seventeen days. After few months, all charges were dropped against him. In August 2019, Rashid was again arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

(With PTI inputs)