HC reserves order on Rashid’s plea for parole to attend Parliament

The High Court of Delhi on Friday set aside its decision on a request by imprisoned MP Rashid Engineer, who is undergoing trial in a terror funding case, asking for custody parole to participate in the current Parliament session. Justice Vikas Mahajan listened to the counsel representing the Baramulla MP and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and stated, “Judgement reserved.”

The lawyer representing the NIA resisted the approval of custody parole, stating that Rashid had no established right to be present in Parliament. It was also mentioned that he did not demonstrate any “specific purpose” in pursuing the relief, and there were security issues too. Rashid’s lawyer stressed that his constituency was not represented in Parliament and that he should be permitted to attend the session.

“I represent the largest constituency of J&K. Don’t prevent the representation when the process of inclusion has started… Don’t stifle the voice of the constituency,” the counsel argued.

The court was considering Rashid’s petition, claiming he was left without a solution after the NIA court handling his bail request left him in uncertainty following his election to the Lok Sabha last year, as it was not a designated MP/MLA court. He requested custody parole as temporary relief. Previously, the NIA contested Rashid’s request for temporary bail to participate in the Parliament session, claiming he had no such “entitlement” as a member of parliament.

In his petition, Rashid has requested the high court to either order the swift resolution of his outstanding bail application by the NIA court or to resolve the issue on its own. Rashid has been incarcerated in Tihar jail since 2019 after his arrest by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act related to the 2017 terrorism financing case.