Delhi HC Orders Engineer Rashid To Deposit Over ₹3.35 Lakh To Attend Parliament

The Delhi High Court on Friday directed Jammu and Kashmir Member of Parliament (MP), Abdul Rashid Sheikh, commonly known as Engineer Rashid, to deposit Rs 4 lakh as travel expenses with prison authorities for attending the ongoing Parliament session.

A bench comprising Justices Chandra Dhari Singh and Anup Jairam Bhambhani, on March 25, allowed Rashid to attend Parliament in custody until April 4. The court dismissed the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) concern that Rashid could be a flight risk. Rashid’s counsel informed the court that he had already deposited Rs 1.45 lakh and would pay the remaining Rs 2.55 lakh within three days.

The bench made it clear that once the full amount is deposited, Rashid would be escorted to Parliament to attend the session. The court emphasized the need to balance the interests of both parties while ensuring that the order allowing Rashid to attend Parliament is not undermined.

Conditions & Deposits

The court ordered Rashid to deposit at least 50% of the total amount of Rs 8.74 lakh, which covered the expenses for travel and other related arrangements for the 6-day session. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on May 19.

The NIA was also instructed to respond within four weeks to Rashid’s plea seeking a waiver of the travel expenses condition.

Rashid claimed that the amount demanded for travel expenses was prohibitively high. He argued that, as a public representative, he should not be burdened with such excessive costs, particularly when fulfilling his constitutional duties. He contended that he did not have the financial means to cover the expenses and might need to crowdfund the amount.

The NIA opposed Rashid’s plea, arguing that granting him the opportunity to attend Parliament would allow him to misuse the platform for his own purposes.

Court’s Decision On Parliamentary Attendance

The court had initially granted Rashid permission to attend Parliament, but with strict conditions. Rashid was to be escorted by plainclothes police officers from prison to Parliament on the designated days, and the authorities were tasked with covering his travel and related expenses.

Background

Engineer Rashid, an MP from Baramulla who defeated Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, is currently facing trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for his alleged involvement in a 2017 terror funding case. He was arrested by the NIA in 2019 and has been in Delhi’s Tihar Jail since then.

Rashid had previously challenged a March 10 trial court order that denied him custody parole or interim bail to attend Parliament sessions until April 4. However, in the high court, he abandoned his request for interim bail and sought permission to attend Parliament while remaining in custody.

NIA’s Allegations & Charges

The NIA’s charges against Rashid include accusations that he funded separatists and terrorist groups in Jammu and Kashmir. The NIA claims that Rashid’s name emerged during the interrogation of businessman Zahoor Watali, who is also an accused in the case.

In October 2019, after Rashid was chargesheeted, a special NIA court framed charges against him, including criminal conspiracy (Section 120B), waging war against the government (Section 121), and sedition (Section 124A) under the Indian Penal Code, along with terror funding charges under UAPA.

Despite the ongoing trial, Rashid’s political activities continue to draw significant attention, including his participation in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

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