New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir MP from Baramulla, Engineer Abdul Rashid Sheikh, has moved the Delhi High Court challenging a Patiala House Court order denying him interim bail in a terror-funding case being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Rashid, popularly known as “Engineer Rashid” and currently lodged in Tihar Jail, has sought interim bail on humanitarian grounds to visit his father, who is in the hospital.

The plea assails the trial court’s order refusing him interim relief, following which he approached the Delhi High Court seeking urgent intervention. Earlier, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had opposed the grant of interim bail before the court below on security grounds. However, the anti-terror agency had indicated that it was willing to allow custody parole to the MP.

Appearing for the NIA, its counsel submitted that Rashid could meet his father and family members even while remaining in custody, parole, and therefore, interim bail was not warranted.

Engineer Rashid, the sitting MP from Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla constituency, is facing allegations in a terror funding case and remains in judicial custody.

Earlier, in January, the Patiala House Court had granted him a custody parole to attend the Budget Session of Parliament, allowing him to participate in Lok Sabha proceedings while remaining under custody.

The court had clarified that the question of who will bear the travel expenses during his custody parole will remain subject to the outcome of Rashid’s pending appeal before the Delhi High Court.

In November 2025, the Delhi High Court delivered a split judgment on Rashid’s plea seeking modification of the condition requiring him to pay nearly Rs 4 lakh towards travel and deployment costs during his visits to Parliament.

After Justice Vivek Chaudhary had rejected the plea and Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani had allowed it, the matter was referred to Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya, the master of the roster, for administrative directions. Rashid’s counsel had said before the Delhi High Court that imposing daily custodial travel costs, including salaries of police personnel, effectively restricted an elected MP from representing his constituency. He added that while Engineer Rashid was willing to bear reasonable expenses, the inclusion of police salaries was beyond the scope of the Delhi Prison Rules.

On the other hand, the Delhi Police had defended the calculation, saying the amount covered deployment charges, logistics, and security arrangements necessary for escorting an undertrial MP to Parliament.

–IANS

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