The Patiala House Court here today adjourned till 19 November the hearing on regular bail plea of Jammu and Kashmir MP, Engineer Rashid, accused in a terror funding case probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
As we are considering the issue of jurisdiction, whether the matter would be heard by this court or the designated MP/MLA court of National Investigation Agency, the matter would be heard on November 19," the court said.
The MP surrendered at the Tihar Jail in the national capital upon expiry of his interim bail.
In the earlier hearing, the Patiala House Court had granted Engineer Rashid interim bail on the ground that his father was very ill and needed his attention.
The counsel for the accused told the court that this was the last time that his client was seeking an extension. He added that no violation of any of the conditions was alleged by the NIA when Rashid was out on bail.
Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh further extended the interim relief as the anti-terror agency said that it had verified the documents and was not opposing the extension of the bail. In addition, the Patiala House Court had posted Engineer Rashid's regular bail plea for orders on October 28.
With the deferral of the orders in the matter, the Awami Itihad Party (AIP) chief will remain in jail till November 19.
He himself stood for the Lok Sabha and managed to defeat NC Vice President, Omar Abdullah who became chief minister now with an excellent margin of 2-lakh plus vote over that of Baramulla Constituency where third contestant was Peoples Conference chief Sajad Gani Lone.
Engineer Rashid's party, Awami Itihad Party (AIP) has managed to win one Assembly seat in the recently-concluded J&K polls. His brother, Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh has won the lone Assembly seat from the Langate constituency of Kupwara district. Engineer Rashid has represented this constituency in the Assembly twice in the past.
The NC-Congress alliance won the Assembly polls bagging 42 and six seats respectively with its ally CPI-M securing one seat. AAP and most of the seven Independents also supported the NC. Subsequently, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Omar Abdullah as Chief Minister.
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