New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir MP Engineer Rashid, currently jailed in a terror funding case, has approached the Delhi High Court seeking a relaxation of conditions imposed on his attendance in Parliament. Rashid informed a bench of Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Anup Jairam Bhambhani that he is unable to represent his Baramulla constituency due to a court directive requiring him to deposit ₹4 lakh with prison authorities as travel expenses.
His counsel, senior advocate N Hariharan, argued that the condition is unreasonable, especially as Rashid is an elected MP whose inability to attend Parliament undermines democratic representation. “This effectively silences the voice of his constituency,” Hariharan said, calling for a modification—not a review—of the earlier order.
The court noted that parole-related travel expenses are typically borne by the prisoner, but Hariharan contended that such a condition defeats the purpose of granting permission to attend Parliament.
Rashid, who defeated Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, has been in Tihar Jail since 2019 after his arrest in a 2017 NIA case alleging he financed separatist and terror groups. The matter has been posted for hearing on August 12.
