Patiala House Court Rejects Rashid Engineer’s Plea for Custody Parole to Attend Parliament Session.
New Delhi: The Patiala House Court on Monday rejected the custody parole plea of Jammu and Kashmir MP Rashid Engineer, who sought permission to attend the ongoing Parliament session from March 10 to April 4, 2025.
Rashid Engineer, representing Baramulla constituency, had approached the court seeking temporary release to fulfill his parliamentary duties. However, Special Judge (NIA) Chander Jit Singh denied the plea, despite arguments from his legal team.
Advocate Vikhyat Oberoi and Advocate Nishita Gupta, appearing for Engineer, contended that he posed no security threat, pointing out that he had been granted custody parole on earlier occasions, including for taking oath in Parliament and campaigning in Kashmir.
“He was allowed custody parole thrice and even granted interim bail to visit Kashmir, which borders Pakistan. If he wasn’t a threat there, how can he be a threat in Delhi?” argued Oberoi. He further assured the court that security arrangements could be made, with jail authorities escorting him to and from Parliament, and security personnel in civil clothes accompanying him inside.
The counsel also emphasized, “Rashid Engineer represents 45% of Kashmir’s population; attending Parliament is his constitutional duty.”
However, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed the plea. Special Counsel Gautam Khazanchi argued that Engineer has no statutory right to attend Parliament while in custody, citing the precedent set in the Suresh Kalmadi case.
Khazanchi also raised concerns over previous misuse of phone facilities during parole, stressing that allowing parole again would be inappropriate. “There is no guaranteed security control, and custody parole should not be granted,” he asserted.
In rebuttal, Engineer’s counsel argued that while detainees cannot vote, they retain the right to contest elections and attend Parliament until disqualified.
Rashid Engineer, arrested in 2019 in a terror funding case, remains in judicial custody. His regular bail application is still pending before the special NIA court at Patiala House. The court has directed his legal team to submit written arguments in the ongoing bail proceedings.
This development marks a significant moment as Engineer continues to seek interim relief to participate in parliamentary proceedings, asserting his mandate as an elected representative from Baramulla.
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