The superintendent of Tihar Jail on Wednesday informed Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid that he would need to pay over Rs 1.45 lakh per day to attend Parliament's Budget Session. This came a day after the Delhi High Court granted permission to the Baramulla MP to attend the session while in police custody.

Notably, Engineer Rashid has been serving a sentence in Delhi's Tihar Jail since 2019 in a terror funding case. He faces charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

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In response, Rashid has approached the Delhi High Court, seeking a modification of the order, and has requested that the jail authorities' proposed charge be waived, the Indian Express reported.

Rashid was scheduled to attend the proceedings today after successfully raising the required funds through crowdfunding, as informed by his counsel to a division bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela. On Thursday morning, his counsel made an urgent appeal before the court, seeking a swift hearing for Rashid’s waiver application. However, the bench declined the request and the application is now expected to be heard on Friday.

The superintendent of Central Jail No. 3 at Tihar, as cited by the Indian Express, stated that the cost of Rs 1.45 lakh is for the escort party accompanying Rashid to Parliament, as he would be brought back to jail every day between March 26 to April 4. The escort party would consist of one assistant commissioner, one inspector, one sub-inspector, two assistant sub-inspectors, and seven head constables, three of whom would be drivers, per shift, with two shifts scheduled. The expenses also include costs for the jail van and escort vehicles.

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The bench also clarified that during his time outside jail, Rashid will not be allowed to use a cell phone or landline, nor will he have the right to speak with the media.