Delhi High Court Dismisses Engineer Rashid’s Appeal Against Charge Order in UAPA Case
The bench held that an order framing charges is an interlocutory ruling not appealable under the NIA Act.
Overview
- A division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Madhu Jain rejected the plea as not maintainable, citing a coordinate-bench ruling in Shahid Yusuf that bars appeals against charge orders under Section 21.
- The challenge targeted the March 16, 2022 order and May 10, 2022 formal charge, which include IPC Sections 120B, 121 and 121A, and UAPA Sections 13, 15, 17 and 18.
- The court said it did not examine the question of delay since the appeal itself was not maintainable under the statutory scheme.
- Rashid has a separate appeal against a March 21, 2025 bail rejection, which the High Court has listed for hearing on February 19, 2026.
- A Delhi court permitted him custody parole to attend the Parliament Budget Session as he remains in Tihar Jail following his 2019 arrest, after winning the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat in 2024.