Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid back in Tihar jail

Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid on Monday surrendered before authorities in Tihar jail here after the end of his interim bail, prison officials said.

The Awami Ittehad Party leader, who has been arrested in a terror funding case, reached jail premises at noon after a Delhi court, which was scheduled to pass the order on his bail plea, adjourned the matter.

Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh had on September 10 granted interim bail to Rashid, alias Engineer Rashid, to enable him to campaign for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections while deferring the order on his regular bail plea.

Rashid's interim bail was previously extended till October 28 on the grounds of his father's poor health. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) hadn't opposed the plea after verifying the documents.

He has been lodged in Tihar jail since 2019 after the NIA arrested him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the 2017 terror funding case.

Elections to the 90-member J-K Assembly were held in three phases between September 18 and October 1. The results were declared on October 8 in which the National Conference-Congress alliance attained a majority with 48 seats.