Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Jailed Kashmir MP elect, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid Abdul Rashid Sheikh, finally took his oath as a Member of Parliament from the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency on Friday. This comes ten days after his colleagues - Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi (MP from Srinagar), Mian Altaf (MP from Anantnag), Jugal Kishore Sharma (MP from Jammu), and Dr. Jitendra Singh (MP from Udhampur) - took oath on June 24, 2024.
The 56-year-old politician, who has been held in Delhi's Tihar jail for over five years under accusations of militant funding, was granted a two-hour custody parole on July 2 by Delhi's Patiala House Court following approval from the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The oath-taking ceremony was held in Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's chamber and was attended by Er Rashid's family members, including his sons Asrar Rashid and Abrar Rashid, daughter, wife, brother Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh, and at least two other aides. "Attendance was restricted to those with valid identity cards, with strict prohibitions on phone and internet usage," a representative of Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) told ETV Bharat over the phone from New Delhi.
Following the ceremony, Er Rashid will return to jail without permission to communicate with the media or others, as mandated by the Court.
Interestingly, Er Rashid secured victory in the Baramulla Lok Sabha election, competing against candidates like JKNC's Omar Abdullah, JKPC's Sajjad Gani Lone, and JKPDP's Fayaz Ahmad Mir.
A Delhi court granted Rashid a two-hour custody parole on Tuesday after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) permitted him to take the oath.
Rashid, 56, a two-time MLA from the Langate Assembly constituency in Kupwara district, first contested elections in 2008.
Rashid has been in Tihar Jail since 2019, following charges by the NIA for alleged involvement in a terror funding case. Last month, he petitioned the Delhi court for interim bail or custody parole to take his oath.
A firebrand leader, Rashid stunned heavyweights in former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and separatist-turned mainstream politician and People's Conference chief Sajad Lone on the Baramulla seat in the Lok Sabha election 2024 by defeating Omar, his nearest rival by over 2 lakh votes.
- Read more: NIA Gives Consent To Permit Jailed Kashmir MP Elect Er Rashid To Take Oath In Parliament
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