Delhi HC reserves order on Er Rashid’s plea against Rs 4 lakh costs to attend Parliament
19/08/2025
NEW DELHI, Aug 18: The Delhi High Court on Monday reserved its verdict on a plea filed by jailed Jammu and Kashmir MP Engineer Rashid, who has challenged the imposition of nearly ?4 lakh as costs for being allowed to attend Parliament while in custody.
A division bench of Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani reserved its order after hearing arguments from both sides. The costs were levied by a trial court earlier this year while granting Rashid custody parole, reported Live Law.
During the hearing, the Delhi Police submitted a break-up of the expenses charged, which included the salaries of police personnel deployed during Rashid’s movement.
Justice Bhambhani, however, questioned the rationale, remarking that since Rashid remained in custody and was escorted by jail authorities, the expenses should ordinarily be borne by the state.
“You talk of keeping peace and police officials etc. This man here has not even got his liberty back. When the jail travels with him, the expenses incurred are for the jail to incur,” Justice Bhambhani observed.
Senior Advocate N Hariharan, appearing for Rashid, argued that the Delhi Prison Rules do not contemplate recovery of police officials’ salaries as part of parole expenses. He said Rashid was willing to bear reasonable costs, including meals for escort staff, but could not be made liable for salaries.
The bench also queried whether Rashid could remain present in Parliament as long as the session lasted, to which Hariharan replied that the duration was unpredictable and beyond Rashid’s control.
Rashid, who was elected from Baramulla in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, has been lodged in Tihar Jail since 2019 following his arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a 2017 alleged terror-funding case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The former MLA is seeking modification of the March 25 order directing him to deposit ?4 lakh with jail authorities to attend Parliament while in custody.
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