Delhi Court Grants Interim Bail to Engineer Rashid for Election Campaigning

A Delhi court has granted interim bail to Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid until October 2. This allows Rashid to campaign in the upcoming state assembly elections. He will have to surrender on October 3. Rashid, arrested in 2019 over a terror funding case, must adhere to several conditions.

A Delhi court on Tuesday granted interim bail till October 2 to Lok Sabha MP from Kashmir, Engineer Rashid, in a terror funding case. This decision will enable him to campaign in the forthcoming state assembly elections.

Sheikh Abdul Rashid, known as Engineer Rashid, previously defeated former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Baramulla. The elections for the 90-member legislative assembly are scheduled to occur in three phases from September 18 to October 1, with results to be declared on October 8.

Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh granted Rashid's interim bail on a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh and one surety of like amount. The judge stated, 'I am granting interim bail till October 2. He will have to surrender on October 3.' Rashid must also meet several conditions, including refraining from influencing witnesses or the investigation.

On July 5, the court granted Rashid custody parole to take the oath as a Lok Sabha member. He has been in jail since 2019 after his arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the 2017 terror funding case, and he is currently lodged in Tihar jail.

The court is expected to announce its decision on his regular bail application tomorrow. Rashid's involvement came to light during the investigation of Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who the NIA accused of funding terrorist groups and separatists in Kashmir. The NIA filed charge sheets against several individuals, including Yasin Malik, Hafiz Saeed, and Syed Salahuddin, in this case.

(With inputs from agencies.)