The Election Commission on Wednesday sent a notice to newly elected MP Seikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, over a significant discrepancy in his election expenditure report for Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla Lok Sabha seat.
Rashid is currently lodged in Delhi's Tihar jail in connection with a terror funding case. He is required to respond to the poll-governing body's notice within two days.
The notice, served by the deputy district election officer in Baramulla, pointed out that the expenditure register submitted by Rashid accounted Rs 2.10 lakh, while the actual amount recorded in the shadow registered -- maintained by observers -- stood at a whopping Rs 13.78 lakh.
Rashid, who has been in jail since his arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2019, had been granted a two-hour custody parole to take oath as Member of the Lok Sabha on July 5. The newly elected MP had sought interim bail or custody parole for fulfilling his parliamentary duties.
The EC's notice also asked Rashid or his representative to appear before the district expenditure monitoring committee within two days to address the irregularities and ensure prompt submission of the expenditure report to the poll body.
In case of failure to comply with the election expense reporting requirements, the act could lead to disqualification by the Election Commission under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, for a period of three years, the notice added.
Rashid, who contested from the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency as an independent candidate, defeated National Conference leader Omar Abdullah in the 2024 general elections.
However, his win was not pleasing for leaders as questions were raised over the increase in Rashid's assets and decrease in his liabilities, despite him being lodged in jail.
As per the 2024 poll affidavit, Engineer Rashid's assets were valued at Rs 1.55 crore in comparison to Rs 80 lakh in 2019. His assets include a 41,072 sq ft non-agricultural land in his home town of Langate and a house in Srinagar worth Rs 90 lakh.
His liabilities were Rs 11.31 lakh home loan and Rs 3.11 lakh Kisan Credit Card loan.
A science graduate with a diploma in civil engineering, Rashid had declared a residential house in the posh Srinagar locality -- Jawahar Nagar -- five years ago. He had purchased this property in 2017 and declared this as his only asset, adding that he had a liability of Rs 60 lakh towards home loan from a bank.
In 2008 and 2014, Rashid won from his hometown, Langate assembly segment, however he failed to grab a seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
Notably, Rashid had sparked a massive row by hosting a beef party on the lawns of the MLA hostel in Srinagar in 2017 and said, "No court or legislature can prevent people from eating what they want.
As for the terror funding charges against him, the NIA said that the case against the former MLA was registered for raising, receiving and collecting funds through illegal means to fund separatist and militant activities in Jammu and Kashmir and for causing disruption in the Valley by the way of pelting stones on the security forces, burning schools, damaging public property and waging war against India.
Later, Rashid's bail application was also dismissed by a special court in the national capital, saying that the accused received unaccounted funds from co-accused Zahoor Watali, against whom there had already been reasonable grounds for a prima facie case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
(With PTI inputs)
