Delhi Court Permits Jailed MP Engineer Rashid to Attend Monsoon Session

New Delhi, July 16: A Delhi court on Thursday permitted jailed Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid to attend the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament under custody parole on all sitting days. Special Judge (NIA) Prashant Sharma granted the relief while hearing Rashid's plea seeking custody parole to participate in the Parliament session, scheduled from July 20 to August 13. Under custody parole, a prisoner remains in judicial custody and is escorted by armed police personnel while attending approved engagements. The court conducted the proceedings in camera. Engineer Rashid has been lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail since 2019 after being arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the 2017 terror-funding case. He is accused of allegedly funding separatist and terrorist groups in Jammu and Kashmir. The NIA filed a chargesheet against Rashid in October 2019. In March 2022, a special NIA court framed charges against him and other accused under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging war against the Government of India), and 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code, along with provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) related to terrorist acts and terror funding.