New Delhi, 7 February (HS): Arguments were presented by both sides in the Delhi High Court on Friday on the petition seeking custody parole of Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, who is lodged in Tihar in the terror funding case, to attend the Parliament session. After this, the bench of Justice Vikas Mahajan reserved the decision.

During the hearing, the NIA opposed the petition seeking custody parole and said that there is no right to seek custody parole to attend the Parliament session. The NIA cited a judgment saying that once arrested or legally in custody, the MP cannot be allowed to attend the meeting of the House. The NIA said that the Suresh Kalmadi decision clearly states that the accused has no right to seek relief to attend the Parliament session. The NIA said that if the MPs are involved in criminal proceedings, then the rights and responsibilities enjoyed by the MPs will not apply.

During the hearing, Rashid's lawyer said that this court has the discretion to allow Rashid to go to the House. Rashid's case is very different from Suresh Kalmadi's case, while Rashid is not a threat to security. Then the court asked how Rashid is a threat to security. In response to this, the NIA said that Rashid will have to be provided security through armed forces, which is not allowed, because how can armed people enter the Parliament. The NIA cited information received from Jammu and Kashmir that he was using a phone in jail, which has been removed. The NIA said that custody parole is not right for attending Parliament.

Rashid Engineer has sought interim bail to attend the Parliament session which will run till April 4. Earlier, on January 23, the High Court, while hearing Engineer Rashid's regular bail petition, had issued a notice to the NIA. Engineer Rashid has filed a regular petition and has also challenged the order of the Patiala House Court, in which the Patiala House Court refused to hear the bail plea. In the petition, the High Court has been asked to hear his bail plea soon. Earlier, Engineer Rashid had filed a petition in the Patiala House Court seeking interim bail to attend the winter session of Parliament, but the court refused to hear the petition on December 24, 2024.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar