Onlykashmir.in News Desk
The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) has appealed directly to the Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, seeking expeditious and compassionate consideration of the bail plea of its president and Baramulla Member of Parliament, Er Rashid, as his incarceration completed seven years on Saturday.
At a packed press conference in Srinagar, AIP Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi, State Secretary Sheikh Ashiq and General Secretary Nazir Ahmad Khan said seven years of incarceration of an elected Member of Parliament, without the trial reaching its conclusion, was not merely a legal matter but a serious test of justice, constitutional values and human conscience. Nabi noted that Er Rashid represents nearly forty percent of Kashmir’s population as the elected voice of the Baramulla constituency, and that his prolonged absence has left that representation effectively silent for seven years.
Invoking the constitutional principle that bail is the rule and jail the exception, Nabi said the party continues to place full faith in the judiciary and is not questioning the judicial process, but is asking only that justice not be delayed further, particularly where personal liberty is at stake. He pointed to Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty, arguing that prolonged incarceration and delayed trial proceedings warrant the highest level of judicial consideration.
The party also flagged what it described as a significant development in the case before the Court of the Additional Sessions Judge, Patiala House Courts, New Delhi. According to proceedings dated July 6, 2026, Mohammad Yasin Malik, appearing through video conferencing, submitted to the court that investigating agencies had wrongly attributed to Er Rashid the identity of an individual named in an alleged email, stating that a separate person of the same name was associated with the case instead. The submission, accompanied by an affidavit that the court has taken on record, is expected to be considered when orders on charge are passed.
Nabi said this development carries considerable weight, since the identification in question has been one of the central allegations repeatedly cited against Er Rashid. He was careful to note that the final determination rests entirely with the court, but said that if the position is accepted, it would seriously undermine one of the foundational allegations levelled against the MP.
Concluding the press conference, Nabi appealed for timely justice and reiterated the party’s continued faith in the Supreme Court and the Constitution of India, while also remembering the prolonged hardship endured by Er Rashid’s family over the past seven years.
