Engineer Rashid Surrenders To Tihar Jail; Delhi Court Defers Hearing In Regular Bail Plea

Rashid has been held in Tihar Jail since 2019 after his arrest by the NIA in connection with a 2017 terror funding case.

New Delhi:A court in Delhi on Monday deferred till November 19 the hearing on the regular bail plea of Jammu and Kashmir MP, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popular as Engineer Rashid, shortly after he surrendered at the Tihar Jail in the national capital upon the expiry of his interim bail.

Rashid, an accused in a terror funding case being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), had won from the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency in Parliamentary elections held earlier this year.

Additional Sessions Judge Patialia House Court Chander Jeet Singh ordered to pronounce the decision on the bail plea on November 19. “Since we are considering the jurisdiction issue whether the matter will be heard by this court or the designated MP/MLA court of National Investigation Agency, the matter will be heard on November 19,” the Judge stated.

Head of Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), Rashid won the Lok Sabha elections by defeating former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by about one lakh votes.

In the previous hearing, the court had extended Rashid’s interim bail on the ground that his father was very ill and needed his attention. The counsel for the accused told the court that this was the last time that his client was seeking an extension. He added that no violation of any of the conditions was alleged by the NIA when Rashid was out on bail.

Rashid, who has been held in Tihar Jail since 2019 after his arrest by the NIA in connection with a 2017 terror funding case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, flew to the national capital from Srinagar Airport on Monday morning. He was accompanied by AIP’s chief spokesperson, Inam-un-Nabi.

The Delhi court initially granted Rashid interim bail on September 7, with a scheduled surrender date of October 3. However, the court extended his bail twice, first to October 13, and later until October 28.

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