New Delhi. Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid came out of Tihar Jail on Wednesday, a day after getting interim bail from a court in the national capital in the terrorism funding case. He will participate in the campaign for his party in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. Talking to reporters outside the jail, he said that he will continue to fight for his people. Rashid’s sons and supporters welcomed him after coming out of jail.
Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the 2017 terrorism financing case. He was in jail since 2019. He was lodged in Tihar Jail. A senior jail official said, “Rashid was released from jail at 4.15 pm Engineer Rashid defeated former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah from Baramulla seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate.
The MP told reporters outside Tihar, “I was in jail for five and a half years. I am committed to fight for my people. I am coming back to unite people, not to divide them.” Rashid said, “I want to bring lasting peace in Kashmir and prove that Kashmiris are not stone-pelters. But we will not compromise on our political rights.” He said, “I will fight the narrative of Naya Kashmir created by the Prime Minister.” National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah had said on Tuesday that Rashid has been granted bail not to serve the people of Kashmir but to take votes from them.
When asked about People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti calling Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party a “pseudo” party of the BJP, Abdullah said he was very cautious on the issue, but “it is good that Mehbooba has openly said what many people were thinking.” Taking a dig at Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, Rashid on Wednesday alleged that they had “destroyed” Kashmir.
Elections for the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will be held in three phases from September 18 to October 1. The results will be declared on October 8. Additional Sessions Judge Chandrajit Singh on Tuesday granted interim bail to Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid to campaign in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. The judge on Tuesday granted Rashid the relief on a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh and a surety of the same amount. He also imposed some conditions on the MP, including not talking to the media about the case.
The judge directed Rashid to surrender in the concerned jail on October 3. Meanwhile, the judge adjourned the decision on Rashid’s regular bail plea in the case to October 5. Earlier, the court had granted Rashid parole under custody on July 5 to take oath as a Lok Sabha member.