Jammu/New Delhi, March 21 (IANS) The Patiala House court in Delhi on Friday rejected the regular bail plea of J&K Lok Sabha member, Engineer Rashid.
Engineer Rashid is presently lodged in the Tihar Jail after he was arrested in 2019 by the NIA in a 2017 terror funding case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Additional District Judge, Chander Jit Singh pronounced the decision in the court today saying: “The bail plea dismissed”.
Earlier this week, Engineer Rashid challenged the trial court order of March 10 refusing his custody parole or interim bail to attend the Lok Sabha session till April 4.
Engineer Rashid fought and won the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from J&K’s Baramulla constituency. He filed the nomination papers for the Lok Sabha elections from Tihar Jail and defeated his rival, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah, presently the J&K CM, by a margin of over 2 lakh votes.
Replying to his bail plea, the NIA said that Engineer Rashid cannot be allowed to escape the rigours of imprisonment by using his status as a member of the Parliament.
Opposing his bail, the NIA said that the accused did not have an enforceable right to be granted either custody parole or interim bail to attend the Parliament while he was in lawful custody.
He was granted interim bail after winning the Lok Sabha polls to attend to his ailing parents.
While out on interim bail, Engineer Rashid vigorously campaigned for his party, Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) candidates during the J&K Assembly elections.
His party won only one seat – the Langarh Assembly constituency. This seat was won by his brother Sheikh Khursheed Ahmad.
This constituency was twice represented by Engineer Rashid in the erstwhile 90-member J&K Assembly
–IANS
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