New Delhi

The NIA Special Court today granted interim bail to Sheikh Abdul Rashid who is popularly known as Engineer Rashid, Member of Parliament (MP) from Baramulla, Kashmir to enable him campaign for his party in the coming Legislative Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

Engineer Rashid heads a nascent party Awami Ittehad Party. He has gained the reputation of a giant killer after he defeated the former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of National Conference in the Lok Sabha elections by a margin of 2 lakh votes..

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Chander Jit Singh of the Patiala House Court said Rashid will remain on interim bail till October 2.

Legislative Assembly elections are scheduled in Jammu and Kashmir from September 18 to October 1 in three phases. The votes will be counted on October 8.

Rashid is currently in Delhi's Tihar jail and facing charges under Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in an terror-funding case.

Earlier, the Court had granted him interim bail to take oath as an

The jailed leader was earlier a Member of the Legislative Assembly. His Lok Sabha campaign was managed by his sons Abrar Rashid and Asrar Rashid.

In 2005, Engineer Rashid was arrested by the Special Operations Group (SOG) in Srinagar for allegedly supporting militants and was held for three months and 17 days.

He faced charges of anti-national activities and was incarcerated in Cargo, Humhama, and Raj Bagh prisons. However, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Srinagar later dropped all charges against him on humanitarian grounds.

In August 2019, Rashid was again arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). During his incarceration, he filed his nomination for the 2024 parliamentary elections from jail and won by a margin of 204,000 votes, defeating former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.