Court asks NIA to apprise on which date Engineer Rashid will take oath as MP
Jun 18, 2024
New Delhi [India], June 18 : Delhi's Patiala House court on Tuesday directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to apprise on which out of the three dates Engineer Rashid, who is in judicial custody, will take oath as MP.
The court has granted time to the NIA to file its reply. The scheduled dates to take oath by newly elected MPs are June 24, 25 and 26.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Chander Jit Singh has kept the matter of Engineer Rashid pending for June 22.
The court is dealing with the plea of newly elected MP Engineer Rashid seeking interim bail to take oath in Parliament. He sought interim bail or custody parole for taking oath as an MP. He has been elected as an MP from Baramulla while in custody in an NIA case.
The NIA had sought time to work out the modalities to take him to parliament if he is granted bail.
However, the defence counsel relied on the order passed by the Rouse Avenue court passed in AAP MP Sanjay Singh's case. He also said that Engineer Rashid is in court custody. Therefore NIA has no role in taking him to Parliament.
MP Engineer Rashid approached the court seeking bail for taking oath. The newly elected MP from Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir has approached the court. He has been in custody for the last five years in a terror funding case lodged by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He has defeated Omar Abdullah from the Baramulla Loksabha seat.
On June 5, ASJ Singh had sought a response from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the case. His counsel Advocate Vikhyat Oberoi told ANI that an application seeking interim bail and alternative custody parole, to take oath and perform other parliamentary functions had been filed.
Oberoi had also said that Engineer Rashid is a two-time MLA. "Now he has to take oath as an MP after winning the election. The date for oath ceremony is not yet declared," he said.
