Delhi court seeks NIA stand on conditional bail for Engineer Rashid
MP targeted for being Kashmiri, vocal on self-determination: Legal experts
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to state its position on granting conditional bail to Baramulla MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh alias Engineer Rashid in a fake funding case.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the court inquired whether Rashid could be released on bail subject to stringent conditions, including restricting his movement to Delhi.
A bench hearing the matter directed that statements of two protected witnesses be recorded before the trial court prior to the next hearing, which has been scheduled for November 03.
The NIA opposed the bail plea citing the “seriousness” of the allegations and said charges had already been framed in the case.
The matter pertains to NIA’s prosecution of Rashid under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the alleged case.
Legal experts and political observers in Srinagar view the continued incarceration and prosecution of Rashid as part of a pattern of targeting Kashmiri political representatives with a dissenting voice.
They said Rashid was being singled out because of his Kashmiri background and for being vocal on the political rights of Kashmiris, including the right to self-determination recognized under UN resolutions. They added that such cases are aimed at silencing Kashmiri politicians who speak on the disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir.
