NEW DELHI: A Delhi Court has granted interim bail to newly elected Lok Sabha MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Er Rashid, until October 2, in a fake terror funding case to allow him to campaign for the upcoming IIOJK Assembly elections.
Er Rashid defeated former IIOJK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the recently held Indian Parliamentary elections from Baramulla.
The order was issued by Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh following Rashid’s petition seeking interim bail to participate in the election campaign.
The IIOJK Assembly consists of 119 seats, including 24 reserved for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and five nominated members. Elections for 90 seats are scheduled to be held in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1. The vote counting will take place on October 8.
Rashid has been imprisoned since 2019 after being arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in a 2017 terror funding case. On July 5, the court granted him custody parole to take his oath as an MP. He is currently being held in Tihar Jail. The court is set to pronounce its decision on his regular bail application on Wednesday.
Rashid’s name surfaced during the investigation into Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested by the NIA for allegedly funding terrorist groups and separatists in Kashmir.
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