The Delhi High Court on Friday sought a response from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on a plea filed by jailed Baramulla MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, seeking interim bail to participate in the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament.

A Division Bench comprising Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Shalinder Kaur listed the matter for further hearing on July 29.

Engineer Rashid, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with a terror funding case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), has challenged the order of the NIA Special Court which denied him interim bail. The trial court had instead permitted him to attend Parliament proceedings under custody, on selected days, provided he bore the cost of travel and security arrangements.

In his appeal before the High Court, the newly elected MP has argued that either he should be granted interim bail or the government must bear the expenses associated with his travel and security deployment.

Senior Advocate N Hariharan, appearing for Rashid, pointed out that his client has been asked to pay ₹17 lakh for a 12-day arrangement, at a rate of ₹1.44 lakh per day, to facilitate his travel from Tihar to Parliament and back.

“You are asking me to pay ₹17 lakh just to fulfil my constitutional responsibility to represent my constituents? I am losing every day. He has been allowed to attend Parliament before. On two occasions, this very Court had permitted it,” Hariharan argued.

Rashid, who was arrested in 2019, made a political comeback in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by defeating Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Baramulla with a margin of over two lakh votes.

This is not the first time he has approached the court seeking permission to attend Parliament. In March this year, the Delhi High Court allowed him to attend the budget session under strict conditions, one of which required him to bear the cost of travel.

The present petition seeks similar permission to attend the monsoon session, without the financial burden.

Besides Hariharan, advocates Aditya Wadhwa, Vikhyat Oberoi, and Nishita Gupta also appeared for Rashid. Special Public Prosecutor Akshai Malik represented the NIA.