New Delhi, February 3: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has strongly opposed the interim bail plea of jailed Jammu and Kashmir Member of Parliament (MP) Rashid Engineer, who has sought temporary release to attend the ongoing budget session of Parliament. The matter was heard on Monday before Justice Vikas Mahajan of the Delhi High Court, where the NIA argued that the request constituted a clear misuse of the legal provision for interim bail.
The investigative agency contended that interim bail should be granted only in exceptional circumstances, such as cases involving severe personal hardship or unbearable suffering of the accused. It asserted that Rashid Engineer’s plea failed to meet this high threshold and should therefore be denied. The court has scheduled the next hearing on the matter for February 4.
Rashid Engineer, an independent MP from Baramulla, was elected to the 18th Lok Sabha in the 2024 general elections despite being incarcerated. He has been lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail since 2019 after his arrest by the NIA in connection with a terror-funding case dating back to 2017. The case, registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), accuses him of being involved in a larger conspiracy to destabilize the Kashmir Valley and wage war against the Indian government.
Seeking interim bail, Rashid argued that his attendance in Parliament is crucial, particularly during the budget session that commenced on January 31 and is set to conclude on April 4. However, the NIA has maintained that his continued detention is necessary given the gravity of the charges against him.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also pursued a money laundering case against Rashid Engineer and other accused individuals, based on the NIA’s First Information Report (FIR). The broader case involves allegations of financial links to terror organizations operating in the region. According to the NIA’s case, the accused were part of a network receiving and disbursing funds to fuel unrest in Jammu and Kashmir.
The investigation further implicates Pakistan-based terror leaders, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief and 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, as well as Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin. The agency claims that these individuals, along with their operatives, were actively involved in orchestrating and funding anti-India activities in the Kashmir Valley.
With the next hearing set for February 4, the Delhi High Court is expected to decide whether Rashid Engineer will be granted interim bail to attend Parliament or if he will continue to remain in judicial custody while legal proceedings against him continue.