No cooler for Kejriwal in jail, says AAP; need judge’s nod: Tihar jail in Delhi

Tihar authorities, however, rejected the charge, stating that inmates are only provided air coolers if ordered to do so by the courts

The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday alleged that chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who surrendered before Tihar jail authorities the previous day upon the completion of his bail period, is being “harassed” inside prison and has not been provided an air cooler despite the ongoing heatwave-like conditions in Delhi.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal arrives at Tihar Jail Gate No. 1 in New Delhi on Sunday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

Tihar authorities, however, rejected the charge, stating that inmates are only provided air coolers if ordered to do so by the courts.

Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22, and was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on May 10 for 21 days. He surrendered on Sunday after his interim bail ended.

On Monday, the AAP claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leaving no stone unturned to harass the CM inside prison.

“At a time when the temperature in Delhi is reaching 48°C and 50°C, and when air coolers are provided to even notorious criminals in the Tihar Jail, the popular CM of Delhi has not been given a cooler in this scorching heat. I want to ask the BJP, I want to ask their LG (lieutenant governor) saheb how low will you stoop, is there no limit to your cruelty?” Delhi minister Atishi said in a statement.

The AAP leader also claimed that faulty weighing machines were used to measure Kejriwal’s weight in jail.

Responding to the allegations, Tihar officials noted that no inmates are provided air coolers.

“In case of extreme medical emergencies, the jail board might provide the inmate with a water cooler but the inmate needs approval from a judge and senior jail officials. This is not the case with Kejriwal,” a senior jail officer from jail no 2 said, on condition of anonymity.

The official also dismissed the allegations about the weighing scales, adding that all inmates use the same machines.

The BJP, meanwhile, accused the AAP of playing politics at a time when Delhi is suffering from “an acute water and power crisis”. “AAP leaders, including Kejriwal and Atishi, have been crying for facilities in jail believing that this will get them public sympathy. But... the election results will give them a lesson that they have in fact lost public sympathy due to this petty politics,” said Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor.

HT reached out to LG office, but did not get any response to requests for comment.