Delhi HC Grants 2-Day Custody Parole To Engineer Rashid To Attend Parliament Budget Session

The Delhi High Court on Monday granted Lok Sabha MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, a two-day custody parole to attend the ongoing Budget session of Parliament on February 11 and 13. Rashid, who was arrested in 2019 by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a terror funding case, will be allowed to fulfill his parliamentary duties under strict conditions.

The court has prohibited Rashid from using any phone, telecom devices, or the internet during his parole. He is also barred from interacting with anyone, including the media, except in his limited capacity as an MP. Additionally, the court ruled that Rashid’s security personnel can accompany him only up to a designated point inside Parliament, in consultation with the Lok Sabha Secretary General.

Rashid, the MP from Baramulla, had approached the High Court seeking custody parole to attend the Budget session. His legal team argued that he had not violated any court orders during his previous parole, granted last year to take oath as an MP. They also cited the case of former lawmaker Pappu Yadav, who was allowed to attend Parliament proceedings in 2009 despite being in custody.

The NIA, however, opposed the plea, stating that Rashid had no inherent right to attend Parliament while in custody. The agency also raised security concerns, noting that Rashid would require armed personnel, which could conflict with parliamentary norms. “He has to be accompanied by armed personnel. How can you have armed personnel enter Parliament? Nobody with arms can enter. He is subject to the norms of a different body,” the NIA argued.

Rashid’s lawyers emphasized the importance of his presence in Parliament, particularly after a Rs 1,000 crore reduction in funds allocated to his union territory. They argued that his participation was crucial to representing his constituency’s interests during the Budget session.

Engineer Rashid’s political journey has been marked by controversy. Despite the ongoing terror case against him, he defeated former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Baramulla constituency. His victory and subsequent legal battles have kept him in the national spotlight.

The court’s decision to grant parole highlights the balance between legal constraints and the constitutional responsibilities of elected representatives. Rashid’s limited parole underscores the strict conditions imposed on him while allowing him to fulfill his parliamentary duties.