Delhi High Court Asks NIA Court To Expeditiously Decide MP Engineer Rashid's Bail Plea In UAPA Case

The Delhi High Court on Monday (February 24) asked a National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court to decide expeditiously the bail plea filed by Jammu and Kashmir MP Rashid Engineer in a terror funding case registered under UAPA.

"The ASJ-03, Patiala House Court is requested to dispose of the bail application of the petitioner expeditiously,” Justice Vikas Mahajan said.

Rashid's counsel withdrew the petition seeking expeditious ruling by the trial court on the legislator's second regular bail plea. This was after Rashid claimed that there was no remedy available with him after the NIA court decided not to adjudicate his bail plea as he was an MP.

Justice Mahajan noted that a direction was passed by the Delhi High Court on its administrative side clarifying that the NIA court would continue to hear the matter.

Earlier this month, Justice Mahajan granted custody parole to Rashid for two days in order to enable him to attend the parliament.

In his petition, Rashid had sought directions to the trial court judge to expedite a decision on his pending regular bail application.

In the alternative, he had prayed that the writ petition be treated as his second regular bail application and be decided by the High Court.

The development ensued after the ASJ, which was adjudicating the UAPA case, in December last year said that it could only decide Rashid's miscellaneous application but not his regular bail application.

The Additional Sessions Judge Court had then requested the District Judge to transfer the UAPA case to a MP/MLA designated court designated after Rashid became an MP.

Rashid was elected from the Baramulla constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and has been lodged in Tihar Jail since 2019 after the NIA arrested him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the 2017 terror-funding case.

Rashid has been in jail since 2019 after he was charged by NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in alleged terror funding case.

Title: Abdul Rashid Sheikh v. NIA 

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Del) 223