Hyderabad: In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has given its consent to permit jailed MP elect from north Kashmir's Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, Er Rashid to take oath on July 5.
According to news agency ANI, the NIA has given its consent to permit independent MP Rashid Engineer to take oath on July 5 in Parliament to certain condition that Rashid will not interact with the media. The Patiala House Court will pass an order in this regard on July 2 in this regard. Er Rashid, who defeated his nearest rival and former Jammua and Kashmir Chief Minister and NC Vice President, Omar Abdullah on the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, has sought interim bail or custody parole to take oath as an MP.
Reacting to the NIA giving its consent for allowing Er Rashid to take oath in the Parliament, Rashid's spokesperson, Firdous Baba called it a "victory for democracy, justice and the youth who joined Er Rashid sahib's caravan". Baba said that they have applied for a regular bail to Er Rashid for the first time after applying for interim bails for him on two occasions in the past. Rashid first applied for an interim bail to file his nomination from the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency and then for taking oath in the Parliament after winning the seat. Both the interim bails were rejected by the court.
Engineer Rashid is lodged in Tihar jail since August 9, 2019, on charges of terror financing. Rashid, who contested as an independent in the Lok Sabha election 2024, defeated former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat with a huge margin of 204142 votes. Rashid secured 472481 votes while his nearest rival Omar obtained 268339. People's Conference Chief Sajad Gani Lone ended up as the 2nd runner up with 173239 votes while PDP's Mir Fayaz was the 3rd runner up with 27488 votes.
