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The Delhi High Court on Monday, directed the special court handling National Investigation Agency cases to expedite the hearing of the bail plea filed by Engineer Rashid, also known as Rashid Khan.
The Jammu and Kashmir Member of Parliament (MP) had recently been granted a two-day custody parole by the High Court.
Rashid, who faces charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in a terror funding case, had previously approached the High Court seeking clarification on the jurisdiction of the court that should hear his bail plea.
However, on Monday, he withdrew the petition after the High Court clarified the matter.
Justice Vikas Mahajan, hearing the case, directed the NIA court to speed up the hearing of Rashid’s bail application, stating, “Patiala House Court is requested to dispose of the bail application of the petitioner expeditiously.”
Rashid’s case had initially been heard by the NIA court, but it had refused to entertain his bail plea, suggesting that the special court for MPs and MLAs should handle the matter since he is an elected MP from Jammu and Kashmir. This led Rashid to file a petition in the High Court seeking jurisdictional clarity.
The High Court issued a direction on the administrative side, clarifying that the NIA court would continue to hear the case. With this clarification, Rashid withdrew his petition seeking jurisdictional clarification.
Inam Un Nabi, the spokesperson for Rashid’s Awami Itehad Party, explained that the petition was withdrawn because the High Court had already issued an administrative order confirming that the trial would proceed before the same judge at the Special NIA Court in New Delhi.
Rashid had recently been granted a two-day custody parole to attend the budget session of Parliament. During this time, he was restricted from using the internet and interacting with the media.
Elected from the Baramulla seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rashid defeated People Conference leader Omar Abdullah.
He has been incarcerated in Tihar Jail since 2019 after being arrested by the NIA in connection with the 2017 terror funding case.
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