NIA agrees to let Engineer Rashid take oath as MP, court to give order tomorrow

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday, 1 July gave its consent for jailed Kashmiri leader Sheikh Abdul Rashid, known as Engineer Rashid, to take oath as MP on 25 July. Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh will pass an order on the plea on Tuesday, 2 July.

Rashid, the MP-elect from Baramulla who has been arrested in a 2017 Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case, had moved the court seeking interim bail, or custody parole in the alternative, to take oath and perform his parliamentary functions. A special court on 22 June had adjourned the matter and asked the NIA to file its response.

On Monday, the NIA's counsel said Rashid's oath taking be subject to some conditions like not speaking to the media. He also said Rashid must complete everything within a day.

Rashid has been in jail since 2019 after he was charged by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for his alleged involvement in a terror funding case. He is currently lodged in Tihar jail.