Srinagar: Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) Chief and Member of Parliament for the Baramulla constituency, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popular as Engineer Rashid, departed for Tihar Jail in New Delhi on Monday on the expiry of his interim bail.
Rashid, who has been held in Tihar Jail since 2019 after his arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a 2017 terror funding case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, flew to the national capital from Srinagar Airport. 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.
A Delhi court is likely to pronounce later today its order on Rashid's regular bail plea. Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh had granted Rashid interim bail to enable him to campaign for the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The judge had extended Rashid's interim bail till October 28 on the grounds of his father's health.
The NIA had said it had verified the documents and it was not opposing the bail application of the accused due to the health condition of his father. Elections to the 90-member J-K Assembly were held in three phases from September 18 to October 1. The results were declared on October 8 in which the National Conference-Congress alliance attained a clear majority with 48 seats.
