Court allows two-hour custody parole to Engineer Rashid to take oath as MP

A Delhi court on July 2 allowed a custody parole to Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid to take oath as a Member of Parliament on Friday.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Chander Jit Singh of the Patiala House Courts allowed Mr. Rashid two hours, or till the time oath proceedings take place, whichever is later.

The court allowed Mr. Rashid’s family to accompany him, said Vikhyat Oberoi, who represented the MP in the court.

The order was passed after National Investigation Agency (NIA) gave its consent for the oath of Mr. Rashid, who had successfully contested the recently held Lok Sabha elections as an Independent candidate. He defeated National Conference leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah from Baramulla.

In jail since 2019, Mr. Rashid was charged by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention), 1967 Act (UAPA) in the alleged terror funding case.

Mr. Rashid’s name cropped up when the NIA was investigating a terror funding case pertaining to Kashmir-based businessman Zahoor Watali. He was allegedly funding terrorist groups and separatists in the valley.