In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has granted permission to Kashmiri leader Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, to take oath as a member of the Lok Sabha. Engineer Rashid, who has been incarcerated since 2019 in connection with a terror-funding case, emerged victorious in the recent Lok Sabha elections from the Baramulla constituency as an Independent candidate.
Despite being elected, Engineer Rashid was unable to take oath on June 24 due to his ongoing detention. The NIA’s consent comes ahead of an impending order from the Delhi court, scheduled for Tuesday, on Rashid’s plea for interim bail to attend Parliament.
Additional sessions judge Chander Jit Singh is set to rule on Rashid’s application seeking temporary release to fulfill his parliamentary duties. The court had directed the NIA to respond by July 1, following Rashid’s petition for either interim bail or custody parole to enable his oath-taking and participation in parliamentary proceedings.
During Monday’s hearing, the NIA proposed specific conditions for Rashid’s release, including restrictions on media interactions and a requirement to complete all formalities within a day.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Engineer Rashid secured a notable victory by defeating former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, capturing the Baramulla seat with a substantial margin of 2,04,142 votes.
Meanwhile, another MP-elect facing similar constraints, radical preacher Amritpal Singh, remained unable to take oath as an MP due to his detention under the National Security Act in Assam. Despite being called to the Parliament, Singh was absent during the oath-taking ceremony that saw twelve other MPs from Punjab being sworn in.
The unfolding legal proceedings and the NIA’s decision have drawn considerable attention, underscoring the complexities faced by elected representatives awaiting trial amidst their electoral mandates.
Sources By Agencies
