New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on August 12 directed the Delhi Police to explain how it calculated the travel expenses imposed on Jammu and Kashmir MP Engineer Rashid for attending the monsoon session of Parliament. The bench sought clarity on the basis of the figures mentioned in the police’s March 26 communication to Tihar Jail authorities.
A division bench of Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Justice Anoop Jairam Bhambhani instructed the state to provide a detailed breakdown of the expenses. The matter will next be heard on August 18.
Bench Questions Expense Basis
The directive came while hearing a plea by the Baramulla MP seeking modification of a March 25 order from a coordinate bench. That order had required him to deposit about ₹4 lakh with jail authorities to attend Parliament while in custody.
“During the course of hearing, we enquired from the state as to the basis of the calculation… The essence of the question is what is the basis of various numbers and calculations appearing in that communication,” the bench observed. The matter was deferred after the Delhi Police counsel was absent.
Custody Parole Dispute
Engineer Rashid, lodged in jail since 2019, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a 2017 terror funding case. He sought either interim bail or custody parole to attend the session and fulfil his duties as an elected lawmaker.
Under custody parole, a prisoner is escorted under armed guard to and from the required venue. Rashid’s counsel argued for interim bail or custody parole without payment of travel costs. The NIA opposed both, stating that interim bail should not be granted and custody parole, if allowed, must be conditional on full payment of security and travel expenses.
Serious Charges Under Trial
Rashid, who defeated Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla, faces allegations of funding separatist activities and terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir. His name surfaced during the questioning of co-accused businessman Zahoor Watali.
The NIA filed its chargesheet in October 2019, and a special court framed charges against Rashid and others in March 2022. The case remains under trial.
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