New Delhi, September 6, 2025 : A Delhi court on Saturday allowed Lok Sabha MP from Baramulla, Engineer Rashid, to cast his vote in the upcoming Vice Presidential election scheduled for September 9.
Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit granted permission after hearing Rashid’s plea seeking leave from custody to participate in the electoral process.
Earlier, the jailed parliamentarian was granted custody parole between July 24 and August 4 to attend the monsoon session of Parliament. His counsel, Vikhyat Oberoi, told the court that Rashid will provide an undertaking to bear his travel expenses, subject to the outcome of an appeal pending before the Delhi High Court against an earlier order that directed him to pay several lakhs of rupees for parole-related travel costs.
Rashid, who is lodged in Tihar Jail since 2019, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a 2017 terror funding case. He faces serious charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging war against the government), and 124A (sedition).
The NIA alleges that Rashid funded separatist networks and terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir. His name surfaced during the interrogation of businessman and co-accused Zahoor Watali, following which he was arrested. He was chargesheeted in October 2019, and in March 2022, a special NIA court framed charges against him and others.
Despite his incarceration, Rashid scored a major political upset in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, defeating former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah from the Baramulla constituency.
