New Delhi [India], April 24 : The Patiala House Court on Friday dismissed the interim bail plea of Baramulla MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh, alias Engineer Rashid. He had sought interim bail to meet his ailing father, who is on ventilator support.
Special Judge (NIA) Prashant Sharma dismissed the interim bail plea after hearing submissions from counsel for the accused and the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
NIA's SPP Gautam Khazanchi opposed the interim bail plea on the basis of a secret report. However, he submitted that Rashid may be granted custody parole.
The agency stated that it had no objection if the accused was granted custody parole.
Advocate Vikhyat Oberoi, counsel for Abdul Rashid Sheikh, opposed the submissions of the NIA, saying that the secret report is not admissible unless it is supplied to the accused. "We are rebutting the facts of the report," said Advocate Oberoi.
The counsel also submitted that Abdul Rashid Sheikh's father is on ventilator support. He further argued that earlier Sheikh had been granted interim bail to contest the election, but his interim bail is now being opposed despite his father being seriously ill.
On April 20, the court granted time to the NIA to file a reply on Baramulla MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh's plea seeking interim bail to meet his ailing father.
Abdul Rashid Sheikh, had moved the court seeking interim bail on the grounds that his father is seriously ill and hospitalised.
Rashid Engineer is currently in judicial custody in Tihar Jail in connection with a terror funding case lodged by the NIA.
Advocate Vikhyat Oberoi, along with Nishita Gupta, appeared for Rashid Engineer.
On April 17, it was argued before the court that his father is seriously ill and hospitalised, and he sought one month's interim bail.
On the other hand, Special Public Prosecutor Gautam Khazanchi opposed the interim bail plea on various grounds but submitted that Rashid Engineer may be granted custody parole to meet his father.
His regular bail application has been pending before the High Court for a long time. Earlier, he was granted custody parole to participate in Lok Sabha sessions.