New Delhi: Jailed Kashmiri leader and newly elected MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, is likely to take oath on July 05 after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday gave its consent before a special court. Additional Sessions Judge Chanderjit Singh will pass an order on the matter on Tuesday.
The NIA’s counsel said Rashid’s oath taking should be subject to some conditions like not speaking to the media. He also said Rashid, who is in Tihar Jail, must complete the process within a day, everything within a day.
Rashid, an Independent MP from Baramulla who has been arrested in a 2017 Jammu and Kashmir “terror funding” case, had moved the court seeking interim bail, or custody parole in the alternative, to take oath and perform his parliamentary functions. On June 22, a special court here had adjourned the matter and asked the NIA to file its response.
The agency has been consulting with Parliament and jail authorities on the matter.
While Rashid’s counsel had cited AAP leader Sanjay Singh being granted custody parole to take oath as a Rajya Sabha MP, the court noted that Rashid’s charges were different.
This session of Parliament is scheduled to end on July 03. Procedures allow MPs to take oath in the Speaker’s chamber even when Parliament is not in session.
Rashid has been in custody since August 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for his alleged involvement in the terror funding case.
His name surfaced during the probe of Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested for allegedly financing terrorist groups and separatists in the Kashmir Valley.
The NIA had earlier filed a chargesheet against several individuals, including Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin in connection with the case.
Mufti welcomes permission granted to Engineer Rashid to take oath as MP
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said she is relieved to know that Sheikh Abdul Rashid, who won the Lok Sabha polls from Baramulla, has been granted permission to take oath as a member of Parliament.
The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister also demanded that Rashid, popularly known as Engineer, should be released along with other Kashmiri men lodged in various jails.
“It’s a shame that Engineer Rashid has been behind bars since 2019 on baseless charges. Relieved to know he’s been allowed to take oath as Member of Parliament but his imprisonment itself is an utter travesty of justice in the first place,” Mufti said in a post on X.
“GOI must release him immediately along with countless other Kashmiri men languishing in jails,” she added.
Rashid, who is in Delhi’s Tihar jail in a terror-funding case, defeated National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah in the Lok Sabha polls from the Baramulla constituency by a margin of more than two lakh votes.
