Asif Iqbal
Srinagar, Jul 02 : After several delays, the Delhi’s Patiala House Tuesday finally granted Abdul Rashid Sheikh, alias Er. Rashid, a two-hour custody parole to take oath as Member Parliament from Baramulla Lok Sabha seat. The truncated oath-taking ceremony scheduled on July 5 has been subjected to certain conditions, including restrictions of MP-elected to interact with media-persons.
Ever since declared winner from Baramulla Lok Sabha seat on June 7, 2024, the incarcerated politician had been pleading to seek bail or custody parole, leastways to take the oath as Member Parliament. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) however on each occasion, until yesterday, sought from Delhi’s Patiala House Court more time to tender its response.
After the Investigation Agency gave its consent yesterday to permit the jailed politician to take oath, the Delhi’s Patiala House Court presided over by Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit, as per GNS, passed an order to clear on its behalf the judicial hindrance for the custody parole to allow the jailed politician to attend the oath-taking ceremony albeit with few conditions.
Among the conditions which the otherwise firebrand speaker has been made obligatory to adhere to include that there will only be a custody parole of two hours or till the conclusion of proceedings, whichever is later. The designated time of two hours is excluded from the travel time to and fro the jail.
The incarcerated MP’s wife and children will be allowed to remain present, on production of identity cards, during the making and subscribing of the oath, however no phone or internet usage will be allowed to any of them. The family has been in the meantime directed to not take photos of the ceremony or post them on social media.
The Court further directed the MP-elect not speak to or address the media on any issue or interact with anyone except the officials concerned.
Notably, the 56-year-old politician who has been in Delhi’s Tihar jail on accusations of militant funding under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for over five years now, emerged victorious on Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency, which among others had JKNC’s Omar Abdullah, JKPC’s Sajjad Gani Lone and JKPDP’s Fayaz Ahmad Mir in fray. (GNS)
