A Delhi court is likely to consider on November 20 whether the alleged terror funding case against jailed Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid be transferred to the designated MP/MLA court.
Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh had noted that the case could go to a special court meant to try lawmakers, now that Rashid is an MP.
On Wednesday, he adjourned the matter after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sought time to argue the matter.
The judge, who had earlier reserved the bail order in the case, had underscored he would first consider the issue of jurisdiction and whether or not to transfer the case to a special court.
The judge had posted the order on bail for on November 19.
“Since we are considering the jurisdiction issue whether the matter will be heard by this court or the designated MP/MLA court of National Investigation Agency (NIA), keep it (bail order) post that,” the court had said.
MP Rashid had surrendered before the Tihar jail authorities on October 28, after the completion of his interim bail period.
On September 10, the court had granted interim bail to Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, to enable him to campaign for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections and deferred the order on his regular bail plea.
Rashid’s interim bail was later extended till October 28 on the ground of his father’s poor health and after the NIA did not oppose the plea on verifying documents.
The newly elected MP has been lodged in Tihar jail since 2019 after the NIA arrested him under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the 2017 terror funding case.
Elections to the 90-member JK Assembly were held in three phases between September 18 and October 1. The National Conference-Congress alliance was declared winners with 48 seats on the day of results on October 8.–(PTI)
