MP Rashid Hasn't Eaten Since Jan 31, Lost 5kg: Counsel Seeks Bail In HC

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice regarding the designation of a court to hear the bail plea of MP Rashid Engineer, who is on a hunger strike in Tihar Jail since January 31.

File photo of Baramulla MP Rashid Engineer.

Source : Twitter - mlalangate

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice to its registrar general on the issue of designation of a court to hear the bail plea of Jammu and Kashmir MP Rashid Engineer in a terror funding case, news agency PTI reported.

As per the details, Engineer Rashid is on hunger strike in Tihar Jail, since January 31. His counsel Vikhyat Oberoi said, as quoted by news agency ANI, "Rashid has been fasting since 31 Jan. He has not eaten anything, it has been 5 days now, until he is allowed to participate in parliamentary proceedings. His health is deteriorating and he has lost 5 kg of weight."

On the bail of Baramulla MP Rashid Engineer, his counsel said, "Rashid has been fasting since 31 Jan. He has not eaten anything, it has been 5 days now, until he is allowed to participate in parliamentary proceedings. His health is deteriorating and he has lost 5 kg of weight."…

— ANI (@ANI) February 4, 2025

Engineer's counsel added, "Today we argued on interim bail firstly because the last session also we could not attend because our interim bail became infructuous because of this issue of jurisdiction. That is, whether it is the special NIA which is going to hear the matter or the special MP/MLA court... The Court has called on the Registrant General to specify what has happened because the Registrant General has filed an application before the Supreme Code seeking clarification on which court it should go to...My client has been sitting on hunger strike since 31st January and therefore I'm hoping that it will get resolved as soon as possible..."

Justice Vikas Mahajan was hearing Rashid's petition alleging that he had been left without any remedy after the NIA court dealing with his bail application left him in a limbo post his election to the Lok Sabha last year on account of it not being a special MP-MLA court.

Counsel for the NIA opposed Rashid's plea seeking interim bail to attend the ongoing Parliament session, and said he had no such "right" as a parliamentarian. However, the counsel said the registrar general has filed an application in the Supreme Court to seek a clarification on the issue of designation of a court.

As per the details, the court was also told that in November last year, the agency had also made a representation to the registrar general on the issue of designation of the NIA court as a court which could hear MP/MLA cases.