Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Polls: Rashid Engineer Gets Interim Bail To Campaign

Ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, MP Rashid Engineer has been granted interim bail by the NIA court. This bail allows him to campaign for the elections until October 2, after which he must surrender to the NIA.

Rashid Engineer, also known as Sheikh Abdul Rashid, was arrested in a 2017 terror funding case under the UAPA law. He has been in Tihar jail since 2019. His involvement surfaced during the investigation of Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who was charged with financing terrorist groups and separatists.

Interim Bail for Election Campaign

Rashid had requested a three-month interim bail to campaign in the assembly elections. His lawyer argued that if three months were not possible, then at least until October 10. The lawyer emphasized Rashid's duty as an elected MP from Baramulla.

The NIA's chargesheet in the case included names like Yasin Malik, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin. These names highlighted the gravity of the charges against Rashid.

Awami Ittehad Party Candidates

Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) has announced candidates for nine seats in the upcoming elections. The candidates are:

In recent Lok Sabha elections, Rashid won the Baramulla seat with a significant margin over former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Rashid secured victory by a margin of 2,04,142 votes, receiving a total of 4,72,481 votes compared to Abdullah's 2,68,339 votes.

Sajjad Gani Lone finished as the second runner-up with a total of 1,73,239 votes. As new members of the Lok Sabha are set to take their oaths on June 24, Rashid will also be present to take his oath.

This interim bail is crucial for Rashid as it allows him to fulfill his political duties while awaiting further legal proceedings. His active participation in both parliamentary and assembly roles highlights his commitment despite ongoing legal challenges.