NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday opposed Baramulla MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh alias Engineer Rashid’s bail plea in the Delhi High Court in a terror funding case, alleging that he had influenced prosecution witnesses, including two protected witnesses who have turned hostile.Rashid’s counsel, however, rejected the allegation, arguing that the witnesses had close professional associations with him and that he had spent most of the relevant period in custody.The submissions were made before a bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan, which reserved its order on the bail plea.Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for the NIA, said the testimonies of witnesses examined so far indicated that three specific witnesses had been influenced by Rashid. He contended that at least two protected witnesses had turned hostile.Luthra also submitted that Rashid had delivered specific speeches against India and supported anti-India activities.“In view of the influence that the appellant (Rashid) wields, he does not deserve to be granted bail,” he contended while referring to details of bail orders passed against Rashid.The NIA counsel further alleged that when Rashid was granted bail to meet his ailing father, he had met certain witnesses.
MP’s counsel rejects NIA’s witness influence charge
In his rejoinder submissions, Rashid’s counsel argued that the allegation of influencing witnesses was completely untenable, as he had remained in custody for most of the relevant period.The counsel said the witnesses whom Rashid was accused of influencing were closely associated with him. One of them was his driver, while the other two were personal assistants who had been working with him for years.He further argued that Rashid was a member of Parliament who had sworn allegiance to the Constitution of India, making it a fit case for grant of bail.
Delhi HC notes Engineer Rashid has been in custody for nearly seven years
The court had earlier noted that Rashid had been in custody for almost seven years. It also observed that the case involved a total of 240 witnesses and that the trial would take a considerable amount of time to conclude.The High Court was hearing Rashid’s plea seeking bail in the terror funding case registered under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).Rashid was earlier granted interim bail to attend ceremonies related to his father’s demise.He is accused of funding separatists and terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir. The NIA arrested him in the 2017 case, and he has been lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail since 2019.After he was named in a chargesheet in October 2019, a special NIA court framed charges against Rashid and others in March 2022 under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging war against the government) and 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant provisions of the stringent UAPA.(With PTI inputs)
