The Patiala House Court in Delhi has postponed its decision on the bail plea of incarcerated parliamentarian Engineer Rashid to September 11, 2024. Rashid is accused in a 2017 Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case.
On August 27, the court of Additional Sessions Judge had reserved its judgment after hearing arguments on Rashid’s bail application. Previously, the court had also issued a notice to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) regarding the case.
In July, the court granted Rashid two hours of custodial parole to take the oath as a Lok Sabha member after his victory in the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat during this year’s Parliamentary Elections. Rashid secured the seat by defeating National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah with a margin of approximately one lakh votes. Rashid has been held in Tihar Jail since his arrest by the NIA in 2016.
Pertinently, on March 16, 2022, the Patiala House Court ordered his arrest alongside several others. The list of accused includes prominent figures such as Hafiz Saeed, Syed Salahuddin, Yasin Malik, Shabbir Shah, Masrat Alam, Zahoor Ahmed Watali, Bitta Karate, and others. They were charged with funneling money through Hawala channels and other illegal methods to finance terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir, intending to incite unrest in the region.
The NIA alleges that organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) conducted violent attacks against civilians and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, with support from Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI.
The case against Rashid and others is based on sections of the Indian Penal Code (120B, 121, 121A) and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), covering conspiracy, waging war against the state, and supporting terrorism. The court’s upcoming decision will determine whether Rashid will remain in custody or be released on bail. (KDC)
