Rashid, who defeated the incumbent Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah by over 2 lakh votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, has been lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail since 2019. (Express Archive/Shuaib Masoodi)The Delhi High Court Thursday issued a notice to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), seeking its response to a petition filed by Independent Baramulla MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh alias Engineer Rashid challenging the framing of terror funding charges against him, including under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), among others.Meanwhile, a division bench of Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Shalinder Kaur directed the transfer of two pleas by Rashid, wherein he is seeking modification of his custody parole that requires him to bear the travel and security costs for attending Parliament sessions.Senior Advocate N Hariharan, representing Rashid, told the bench that he has no objections if the pleas are transferred to the bench comprising Justices C D Singh and Anup Bhambhani, which had imposed the condition. Justice Singh stands transferred and, upon directions from the Chief Justice, a new bench may be composed, including Justice Bhambhani.Justice Chaudhary, on July 29, had orally opined that the bench is inclined to transfer the plea to the earlier bench, reasoning that it cannot sit in appeal and rehear the same issue, in adherence to “judicial discipline”.Rashid has filed the plea challenging the framing of charges with a delay of around three years (1,104 days), and a bench of the Delhi HC had earlier issued notice on the application seeking condonation of this delay on May 15.The NIA had earlier opposed the condonation of delay, submitting that delay beyond 90 days cannot be condoned. On the other hand, Rashid had argued that the limitation of 90 days is not sacrosanct, especially in matters of life and liberty.A special NIA court in Delhi had framed charges against Rashid in March 2022.Story continues below this adRashid, who defeated Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the Baramulla seat by over 2 lakh votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, has been lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail since 2019 in a case of alleged terror funding.Rashid was arrested in 2019 under the UAPA. According to the NIA, he used various public platforms to “propagate the ideology of separatism and secessionism”, was closely associated with various terrorist organisations, and wanted to “legitimise” the United Jihad Council, a platform of anti-India militant groups in Jammu and Kashmir.On May 30, 2017, the NIA registered a case against Lashkar-e-Toiba founder Hafiz Saeed and other “secessionist and separatist” leaders who, according to the NIA, “received and collected” funds through hawala channels in “connivance with active militants of… terrorist organizations Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Toiba” to fund “terrorist activities” in Jammu and Kashmir. Rashid was booked as part of this case.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:BaramullaEngineer Rashid