Delhi Court Allows Engineer Rashid Custody Parole for Parliament Session

Quick Summary

• A Delhi court granted custody parole to Sheikh Abdul Rashid, MP from Baramulla, to attend Parliament from July 24 to August 4 on days when the House is in session.
• The Patiala House Court rejected his interim bail plea but allowed the parole with costs and additional conditions.
• The National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed his interim bail plea and argued that Mr. Rashid should bear travel expenses if permitted to attend Parliament in custody.
• Mr. Rashid’s legal team argued that he was fulfilling a public duty and should not be required to pay for travel while attending Parliament sessions.
• In previous cases, trial courts granted him bail for parliamentary attendance and election campaigning during the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections in October 2024.
• Mr. Rashid has been detained in Tihar Jail since 2019 under charges related to a 2017 terror funding case investigated by the NIA.
• He won the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat as an independent candidate in 2024, defeating former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Published: July 22, 2025 | Photo Credit: imran Nissar

Indian Opinion analysis

The court’s decision reflects an attempt at balancing constitutional obligations with legal imperatives. By granting custody parole but rejecting interim bail, it ensures Sheikh Abdul Rashid’s participation in parliamentary proceedings while upholding judicial scrutiny due to allegations against him under anti-terror laws. This compromise allows democratic processes such as legislative representation for constituents without compromising security concerns raised by investigative agencies like the NIA.Though, imposing travel costs shifts financial responsibility onto an elected representative tasked with serving public interests-a move that may spark debate about fairness regarding rights of detainees serving public office. As this scenario unfolds amid ongoing investigations into sensitive cases like terror funding, it highlights both complexities within India’s judicial framework and challenges faced by MPs operating under legal constraints.

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