New Delhi, March 7 (HS): Delhi’s Patiala House Court has deferred the decision on the plea of terror funding case accused and MP Engineer Rashid seeking interim bail to attend the Parliament session. Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jeet Singh ordered to pronounce the verdict on the interim bail plea on March 10.
The court had reserved the decision on March 5. The court had issued notice to the NIA on March 3. The petition said that Engineer Rashid is an MP and he needs to attend the Parliament session to fulfill his responsibility towards the people who have elected him. The petition said that the second phase of the budget session of Parliament is starting from March 10, which will end on April 4.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had allowed Engineer Rashid to be released on custody parole for two days to attend the Parliament session. Engineer Rashid withdrew the bail petition filed in the High Court on 24 February.
The High Court had directed the Special NIA Court of Patiala House Court to hear and decide on the bail plea of Engineer Rashid as soon as possible. In fact, after the clarification received from the Supreme Court, the registry of Delhi High Court had said that the Special NIA Court of Patiala House Court can hear the case registered against Engineer Rashid.
Rashid Engineer won the Lok Sabha elections 2024 by defeating former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by about one lakh votes. Rashid Engineer was arrested by the NIA in 2016.
On March 16, 2022, the Patiala House Court had ordered framing of charges against Hafiz Saeed, Syed Salahuddin, Yasin Malik, Shabbir Shah and other accused including Masrat Alam, Rashid Engineer, Zahoor Ahmed Watali, Bitta Karate, Aftab Ahmed Shah, Avtar Ahmed Shah, Naeem Khan, Bashir Ahmed Butt alias Peer Saifullah. According to the NIA, with the support of Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI, organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen, JKLF, Jaish-e-Mohammed carried out attacks and violence on civilians and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. In 1993, the All Party Hurriyat Conference was established to carry out separatist activities.
According to the NIA, Hafiz Saeed, along with the leaders of the Hurriyat Conference, transacted funds through hawala and other channels to carry out terrorist activities. They used this money to spread unrest in the valley, attack security forces, burn schools and damage public property. After receiving information about this, the NIA registered a case under sections 120B, 121, 121A of the Indian Penal Code and sections 13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 38, 39 and 40 of the UAPA.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
