Delhi's special NIA court on Tuesday granted interim bail to parliamentarian Engineer Rashid in connection with a terror funding case. The interim bail is granted till October 2, 2024.
Rashid will be able to campaign for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections during this bail period.
Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh granted the relief to Rashid and said, "I am granting interim bail till October 2. He will have to surrender on October 3."
The judge granted Rashid the relief on a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh and one surety of the like amount.
The judge also imposed various conditions on him, including that he shall not influence the witnesses or the probe.
Engineer Rashid's Court Case
Rashid has been detained in Delhi's Tihar Jail since 2019 after his arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2017 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
He was implicated in a terror-funding case that surfaced during the investigation of Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested for allegedly funding terrorist groups and separatists in Kashmir.
The NIA's chargesheet in this case named several individuals, including Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin.
Malik, after pleading guilty, was sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court in 2022.
Rashid requested interim bail to participate in the Jammu & Kashmir assembly elections, which are scheduled for September 18, 25, and October 1.
Engineer Rashid's Win At Lok Sabha Polls In J&K
Earlier this year, Rashid won against former chief minister Omar Abdullah for the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat.
On July 5, the court had granted Rashid custody parole to take the oath as a member of the Lok Sabha.
Rashid had previously won the Langate assembly seat in the 2008 and 2014 Jammu & Kashmir elections.
He also ran in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but did not win.
Although Rashid leads the Awami Ittehad Party, he ran in these recent elections as an Independent candidate.
