Delhi court allows engineer Rashid to attend winter session in custody

New Delhi: A Delhi court has permitted jailed Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid to attend the upcoming winter session of Parliament in custody on all scheduled days.

Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma passed the order while hearing a custody-parole plea filed by advocate Vikhyat Oberoi on behalf of Sheikh Abdul Rashid. The judge noted that Rashid’s travel expenses will depend on the outcome of an appeal pending before the Delhi High Court.

Rashid’s counsel argued that the MP must be present in Parliament during the winter session, beginning December 1, to discharge his public responsibilities.

Rashid, who defeated Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Baramulla Lok Sabha race, was earlier granted custody parole between July 24 and August 4 to attend the monsoon session. He also received interim bail to campaign during the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.

The MP has been lodged in Tihar jail since 2019 after being arrested by the National Investigation Agency in a 2017 militancy-funding case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.