Delhi Court Permits J&K MP Engineer Rashid to Attend Parliament Sessions
Rashid allowed to attend Parliament from Tihar Jail while custody expenses remain under judicial review.
New Delhi, Jan 24: The Patiala House Court on Saturday approved custody parole for Baramulla MP Engineer Abdul Rashid Sheikh, currently lodged in Tihar Jail in a terror funding case, allowing him to attend the upcoming Lok Sabha Budget Session starting January 28. The order was passed by Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma, permitting Rashid to participate in parliamentary proceedings while remaining under custody.
The court clarified that the responsibility for travel and deployment expenses during Rashid’s parole would be decided based on the outcome of his pending appeal before the Delhi High Court. In November 2025, a split verdict on his plea regarding payment of nearly Rs 4 lakh for custodial travel was delivered, with Justice Vivek Chaudhary rejecting and Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani allowing it. The matter was subsequently referred to Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya for administrative guidance.
Rashid’s counsel argued that including police salaries in custodial travel costs effectively prevented an elected MP from representing his constituency, though he expressed willingness to cover reasonable expenses. Delhi Police, however, defended the calculation, citing deployment, security, and logistical requirements for escorting a jailed MP.
Engineer Rashid, chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), won the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Tihar Jail, defeating National Conference Vice-President and former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by over two lakh votes. Despite his judicial custody, Rashid will now be able to attend Parliament sessions and participate in key legislative proceedings.
