New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has directed jailed Jammu & Kashmir Lok Sabha MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, to deposit ₹4 lakh with prison authorities to cover his travel expenses for attending the ongoing Parliament session, reported the India Times.
A bench comprising Justices Chandra Dhari Singh and Anup Jairam Bhambhani had earlier allowed Rashid to attend the session “in custody” until April 4, dismissing concerns from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) that he posed a flight risk.
During Friday’s hearing, Rashid’s counsel informed the court that he had already deposited ₹1.4 lakh and would pay the remaining amount within three days. The court emphasized that its directive should not be obstructed and observed that Rashid must at least deposit 50% of the total ₹8.7 lakh required for his transportation. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on May 19.
Additionally, the court has instructed the NIA to respond within four weeks to Rashid’s plea seeking a waiver of the financial burden, as he contended that he should not be penalized with exorbitant costs while fulfilling his constitutional responsibilities.
