The Delhi High Court has told jailed Baramulla MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh—better known to most as Engineer Rashid—that if he wants a seat in Parliament, he’ll have to pay the fare.
Currently lodged in Tihar Jail on terror-funding charges under UAPA, Rashid has been granted permission to attend the ongoing session—but not without a hefty invoice. The High Court said he must deposit over ₹3.35 lakh to cover his custody commute, despite already paying ₹1.45 lakh upfront. The full cost of escorting him to Parliament and back? A steep ₹8.7 lakh.
A bench comprising Justices Chandra Dhari Singh and Anup Jairam Bhambhani acknowledged the unusual situation—balancing the rights of an elected MP against the state’s security logistics. So far, Rashid is footing half the bill while the question of who pays the rest remains on pause.
Rashid, who unseated J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by more than two lakh votes in the 2024 general elections, insists he’s broke. “I don’t have anything, my lord,” he told the bench, explaining that even the previous amount was crowd-funded by his supporters. “I’ll try to raise ₹50,000. I’ll ask my people to help.”
The government wasn’t convinced. The Additional Solicitor General pointed out that Rashid had declared assets worth ₹1.5 crore when filing his election affidavit and continues to draw a salary as an MP.
The Court wasn’t taking sides—yet. It ordered Rashid to pay 50% of the total commute cost and hinted that if he defaults on the remaining amount, his salary or assets could be tapped.
The hearing has been adjourned to May 19, giving Rashid time to either rally more support—or open his wallet.
For now, democracy has a price tag—and for Engineer Rashid, it’s ₹3.35 lakh and counting.