Rashid gets interim bail to attend Parl session

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to Jammu and Kashmir MP Engineer Rashid for attending the Parliament session from March 26 to April 4 while “in custody”.

The court rejected the apprehension of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) that he would be beyond the court’s control. It observed, “Such apprehension is without any basis since the appellant will only temporarily be handed over to the Parliament security, that too for the limited purpose.”

The probe agency argument of Rashid being a “flight risk” within the precincts of Parliament also stood rejected by the court. A Bench of Justices Chandra Dhari Singh and Anup Jairam Bhambani granted interim bail to Engineer Rashid in a March 25 order.

“As for the NIA’s apprehension that by allowing the appellant to attend the Parliament session, he would be afforded a platform to air his opinions which he may misuse, suffice it to say that the control of parliamentary proceedings is within the remit of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha; and this court has no doubt that parliamentary proceedings would be conducted with requisite discipline. Again therefore, this court would not lend credence to the apprehension expressed by the NIA on this count of performing his duties as a Member of Parliament of his constituency,” the order read.

The court has set conditions to his plea to attend the Parliament proceedings which include that he would be escorted from prison to Parliament House on the days Lok Sabha is in session.