New Delhi, Mar 6: A Delhi court on Wednesday reserved its decision on jailed Jammu and Kashmir MP Engineer Rashid’s request for custody parole to attend the upcoming Parliament session, with the verdict set for March 7.
Rashid’s counsel argued that as an elected representative, he has a duty to participate in parliamentary proceedings and is not a security threat. The plea, filed on February 27, sought either interim bail or custody parole, following which the court asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to respond.
The NIA opposed the plea, stating that being a parliamentarian does not exempt an individual from detention. Comparing Rashid’s request to a doctor seeking release to perform surgery, the agency argued that professional obligations cannot override legal custody.
Rashid, who won the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Baramulla by defeating Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, had previously been granted two-day custody parole by the Delhi High Court. His regular bail application remains pending. [KNT]
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