New Delhi: The Delhi High Court allowed two-day custody parole to jailed MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh alias Rashid Engineer to attend the ongoing Parliament session. Justice Vikas Mahajan said Rashid could attend the Parliament session on February 11 and 13. Custody parole entails a prisoner being escorted by armed police personnel to the place of visit.
Rashid was saddled with certain riders as bail conditions, including not using a cellphone. The Baramulla MP is facing trial in a terror funding case with the allegations that he funded separatists and terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir.
Rashid moved the high court alleging he was left without a remedy after the NIA court dealing with his bail application left him in a limbo post his election to the Lok Sabha last year on account of it not being a special MP/MLA court.
As an interim relief, he prayed sought custody parole. The NIA counsel opposed the grant of custody parole, saying Rashid had no vested right to attend Parliament and he had not shown any "specific purpose" while seeking the relief.
The agency also raised security concerns. Rashid was arrested in 2019 following allegations of involvement in a money laundering case and for waging war against the country under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
His case is linked to funding separatist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and connections to designated terrorist Hafeez Saeed.
