Engineer Rashid's Plea for Custody Parole in Parliament Attendance Dispute

Engineer Rashid has approached the Delhi High Court challenging the refusal of custody parole by a trial court. Rashid is seeking interim bail to attend a Parliament session, although accused in a terror case by the NIA, raising significant debates about legal rights and security concerns.

In a critical legal development, Engineer Rashid, the Member of Parliament from Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla, has turned to the Delhi High Court challenging a trial court's refusal to grant him custody parole. Rashid, implicated in a terror-related case by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), strategically seeks interim bail to participate in the current Parliament session.

The High Court is poised to hear Rashid's plea, aggressively tabled by Advocate Vikhyat Oberoi, on Wednesday. Oberoi highlighted that his client poses no threat, emphasizing past instances where Rashid was granted similar parole, including during campaign periods in Kashmir.

However, the NIA, represented by Advocate Gautam Khazanchi, vehemently opposes the plea, citing the well-established Suresh Kalmadi case. They argue that Rashid, detained since 2019 over a terror funding case, has no statutory right to parliamentary attendance while in judicial custody. The court maintains a close watch as the discourse unfolds, weighing security concerns against parliamentary duties.

(With inputs from agencies.)