Today, On 24th December, A Delhi court declined its decision on the regular bail plea of Jammu and Kashmir MP Rashid Engineer. After hearing the arguments, the court chose to delay the ruling. Rashid Engineer had applied for regular bail in relation to alleged offenses. The court will continue to examine the case before issuing a final order.
New Delhi: A Delhi court declined to issue a ruling on the regular bail application of Jammu and Kashmir MP Rashid Engineer in a terror funding case.
Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh dismissed the application, stating that he could only address the miscellaneous application at this stage, not the regular bail plea.
Read Also: [Terror Funding Case] Engineer Rashid’s Bail Rejected By Court
The MP approached the Delhi court seeking interim bail to attend the Parliamentary session.
Speaking virtually from Tihar Jail, Rashid said,
“I have been elected by my people. I was not allowed to attend the last session. With folded hands, I request that I may be granted interim bail.”
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Rashid in 2019 on charges related to terror financing. He was granted temporary bail on September 10 to campaign for candidates from his Awami Itehad Party.
The investigation into Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali revealed Rashid’s connections to the case. Watali had previously been detained by the NIA for allegedly funneling funds to terrorist organizations and separatist groups in Kashmir.
As part of this investigation, the NIA also filed charges against several individuals, including Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin. In 2022, following his admission of guilt, a trial court sentenced Malik to life in prison.
Engineer Rashid has been incarcerated since 2019 after being charged by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) of 1967 in an alleged terror funding case.
Rashid’s involvement surfaced during the investigation of Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, whom the NIA arrested for allegedly financing terrorist groups and separatists in the region. The NIA filed a charge sheet against several individuals, including Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin.
In 2022, Malik sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court after he pleaded guilty to the charges.
In 2005, Rashid arrested by the Special Operations Group (SOG) in Srinagar on charges of supporting militants. He subsequently jailed for three months and 17 days. A severe charge of anti-national activities slapped on him during this period. Rashid was confined in various prisons, including Cargo, Humhama, and Raj Bagh.
Read Also: [Engineer Rashid in Terror Funding Case] Delhi Court to Decide Regular Bail On Nov 19
Later, in a significant turn of events, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Srinagar dropped all charges against Rashid on humanitarian grounds. This legal relief marked a pivotal moment in his life and political career. Despite these challenges, Rashid’s resilience and determination continued to shine through.
In August 2019, Rashid faced another major legal challenge when he arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Despite being in jail, Rashid remained undeterred and filed his nomination form for the 2024 parliamentary elections. His campaign, run from behind bars, resonated with the electorate, resulting in a landslide victory.
Rashid won by a significant margin of two lakh four thousand votes, defeating Omar Abdullah, a prominent political figure and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
