Jailed MP Rashid gets court nod to attend Parliament session till August 4

A Delhi court on Tuesday granted custody parole to jailed MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, allowing him to attend the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament from July 24 to August 4.

While permitting his presence in the Lok Sabha, the court imposed stringent conditions, including that Rashid bear the cost of his travel and security. The Baramulla MP had sought either interim bail or custody parole to fulfill his duties as a parliamentarian.

Announcing the order, Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh of Patiala House Court directed the Tihar Jail Superintendent to ensure that Rashid is escorted by police from the prison to Parliament House on each day the Lok Sabha is in session during the stated period.

The judge ordered that upon arrival at Parliament, Rashid be handed over to the custody of Parliament security/marshals, who will allow him to participate in proceedings and avail related facilities. At the end of each day’s session, the marshals will return custody to the prison escort, which will take him back to Tihar Jail.

“The expense for the aforesaid travel and other arrangements shall be borne by the applicant/accused himself,” the judge ruled, while also requesting the Secretary General of the Lok Sabha to ensure that the conditions of custody parole are followed without compromising Rashid’s judicial custody.

This is the third time Rashid has been granted permission to attend a Parliament session. In March this year, he was allowed to attend the House for six days between March 26 and April 4, during which he paid approximately Rs 4 lakh for travel and security arrangements. Earlier, in February, the Delhi High Court permitted him to attend the Budget Session on February 11 and 13 under strict security protocols, though no cost was imposed on that occasion. Rashid has been lodged in Tihar Jail since 2019 after being arrested by the NIA under the UAPA in a 2017 terror funding case.