A Delhi court is set to decide on Monday on a regular bail plea filed by Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, a sitting Lok Sabha MP from Baramulla.
Rashid was arrested in 2019 by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with a 2017 terror funding case. While in jail, he contested the Lok Sabha election and emerged victorious, defeating National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and People’s Conference (PC) leader Sajad Lone in Baramulla.
Rashid was granted interim bail to allow him to participate in the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir for his party, Awami Itehad Party (AIP). The interim bail was later extended to October 28 due to his father’s poor health, with the NIA not opposing the extension on humanitarian grounds.
In the assembly polls, AIP had limited success, winning only from its stronghold in Langate, Kupwara, where Rashid’s brother, Sheikh Khursheed, contested after resigning from government service. Rashid had previously won the Langate Assembly seat in 2008 and 2014.
Throughout his campaign, Rashid faced accusations from rivals—the National Conference, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and People’s Conference—who claimed he was a proxy for the BJP. Rashid strongly denied these allegations, citing his overwhelming victory in the Lok Sabha elections, where he defeated his opponents by over 2.5 lakh votes.
Today’s ruling will decide whether Rashid can remain free or must return to jail.
Inam-un-Nabi, aide and chief spokesman for AIP, expressed optimism, telling The Week that they hope Rashid will get justice. "He has done nothing wrong. He has been punished for his political belief," he said. "If he goes back to jail, that would be the death of democracy and disrespectful to the people’s mandate."