New Delhi, March 18 (H.S.): The Delhi High Court has postponed the hearing on the interim bail petition filed by MP Engineer Rashid, who is accused in a terror funding case, to participate in the Parliament session. On Tuesday, Justice Pratibha Singh's bench ordered the next hearing to be held on March 25 at the request of both parties.

In this case, the NIA opposed Engineer Rashid's interim bail petition, stating that as an MP, he could not be granted permission to come out of jail. The High Court had issued notice to the NIA on Engineer Rashid's petition on March 12. Senior lawyer N. Hariharan, representing Engineer Rashid, stated that Rashid had previously sought permission to participate in the Parliament session, but the court only allowed participation for two days. Hariharan mentioned that the Parliament session will continue until April 4. He stated that Engineer Rashid is an MP from Baramulla, which represents 45 percent of the total population of Jammu and Kashmir. Such a large representation cannot remain unrepresented. He demanded that Engineer Rashid be released on custody parole.

During the hearing, NIA's Advocate Akshay Malik stated that the High Court's previous custody parole was granted when there was no court assigned for the hearing of the case. Now a special court has been designated for this matter. The trial court has reserved its decision on Engineer Rashid's regular bail, with a verdict expected to be announced on March 19.

Engineer Rashid has challenged the orders of the Patiala House Court in the High Court. The Patiala House Court had rejected Rashid's request for interim bail to participate in the Parliament session on March 10. The petition asserts that Engineer Rashid is an MP and needs to take part in the Parliament session to fulfill his responsibilities towards those who elected him. The petition further states that the second phase of the Parliament's budget session began on March 10 and will end on April 4. Rashid won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by defeating former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by nearly 100,000 votes. Rashid was arrested by the NIA in 2016.

On March 16, 2022, the Patiala House Court ordered the framing of charges against Hafiz Saeed, Syed Salahuddin, Yasin Malik, Shabir Shah, Masrat Alam, Engineer Rashid, Zahoor Ahmed Watali, Bitta Karate, Aftab Ahmed Shah, Avatar Ahmed Shah, Naim Khan, Bashir Ahmed Bhat alias Peer Saifullah, and other accused. According to the NIA, organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen, JKLF, and Jaish-e-Mohammed, with the cooperation of Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI, have committed attacks and violence against civilians and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. In 1993, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference was established to carry out separatist activities.

According to the NIA, Hafiz Saeed conspired with leaders of the Hurriyat Conference to conduct terrorist activities through hawala and other channels, facilitating the transaction of funds. This money was used to spread unrest in the valley, attack security forces, burn schools, and damage public property. After the Home Ministry received this information, the NIA registered a case.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar