New Delhi: A Delhi court is likely to pronounce on September 4 its order on an application filed by Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid, who is in jail since 2019, seeking regular bail in a 2017 Jammu and Kashmir “terror funding” case.
Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, defeated former chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah in Baramulla constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Chanderjit Singh on Wednesday heard the arguments on his bail application during in-camera proceedings (not open to public) and reserved the order.
According to court sources, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed Rashid’s plea for bail in the case in which he has been charged under anti-terror law UAPA, claiming that he may influence the witnesses and tamper with evidence to obstruct justice.
The federal anti-terror agency alleged that Rashid misused the telephone facilities while lodged in the Tihar Central Jail, prompting the authorities to impose restrictions on his privileges as a prisoner to make phone calls.
The NIA said it fears that he might misuse his liberty if released on bail.
The agency claimed “Rashid defended 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed’s activities as a political cause”, suggesting a troubling alignment with extremist narratives.
The NIA alleged Rashid was also involved in “hatching a plot by Pakistani groups to portray terrorist acts as political struggle”, aiming to incite separatism in Jammu and Kashmir.
The judge had on August 20 issued notice to the NIA and directed it to file a response to his plea by August 28.
The court had earlier granted Rashid custody parole to take the oath as an MP on July 5.
Rashid has been in jail since 2019 after he was charged by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the alleged terror funding case. He is lodged in Tihar jail.
The former MLA’s 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.
