Awami Ittehad Party seeks bail for MP Er Rashid after seven years

The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) has appealed to the Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, for the release on bail of its president and Baramulla Member of Parliament, Er Rashid. The party highlighted that Rashid has been incarcerated for seven years without his trial reaching a conclusion.

AIP spokesperson Inam Un Nabi stated that the prolonged incarceration impacts the democratic representation of nearly 40 percent of Kashmir's population. The party urged the judiciary to uphold constitutional guarantees regarding personal liberty and Article 21 of the Constitution, emphasizing that "bail is the rule and jail is the exception."

The party also cited a significant development in proceedings at the Patiala House Courts in New Delhi. During a July 6 hearing, JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik testified via video conference that investigating agencies may have wrongly identified Er Rashid. Malik claimed that the "Sheikh Abdul Rashid" mentioned in an alleged email was a different individual associated with the JKLF, rather than the MP. This affidavit has been taken on record by the court for consideration during upcoming orders on charges.