Tihar jail administration, AAP spar over Arvind Kejriwal’s health parameters
The Tihar jail administration said that baseless allegations had been made by AAP leaders over the chief minister’s health conditions while the ruling party reiterated its claim that there was a conspiracy being hatched to play with the life of Arvind Kejriwal
The Tihar jail administration on Monday rejected the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders’ allegations that there was a conspiracy to cause “permanent damage to the health” of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the prison, saying that such a narrative would confuse and mislead the public, prompting the AAP to hit back and reiterate its claim that there was a conspiracy being hatched to play with the life of Kejriwal
In its report to the home department, the jail administration said that baseless allegations had been made by ministers of the Delhi government, legislators and members of Parliament, and termed the AAP’s claims as false information with ulterior motives and with intent to brow beat the prison administration. It said “such a narrative confuses and misleads the public”.
The report said that the medical board of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has been constantly monitoring the chief minister’s health and his wife Sunita Kejriwal remains in regular consultation with the board.
The jail administration’s report to the home department came a day after Delhi Cabinet minister Atishi alleged that there was a conspiracy to cause “permanent damage to the health” of Kejriwal.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Atishi alleged that Kejriwal’s blood sugar level had gone down below 50, more than five times, and from March 21 onwards, his weight had gone down by 8.5kg.
The jail administration’s report, however, said that the chief minister’s weight was 63.5kg when he surrendered on June 2 after completion of his bail period, and at present his weight is 61.5 kg. On April 1, when Kejriwal first came to Tihar, he weighed 65 kg. The chief minister has effectively lost 2kg and even this weight loss was done deliberately by him, it said.
“As per the report of the senior medical officer, the loss of weight may be due to consumption of less quantity of food or low-calorie intake,” the report said. Prison officials also alleged that Kejriwal had on occasions returned food sent from his home after he came back to jail after his bail period ended.
HT has seen a copy of the day-to-day medical report which details Kejriwal’s weight, blood sugar levels and the meals being consumed by him.
“Further, the accused is under supervision of the Senior Medical Officer, CJ-02 round the clock. The health of the UTP (undertrial prisoner) is under continuous monitoring and his vitals are being checked daily. The UTP is being reviewed by Jail visiting Medical Specialist Doctor of Tihar jail for complaints posed by him and is administered medicines, if required,” the report said.
“At present, the inmate’s Blood Sugar is being monitored as advised from the medical board and he is being provided treatment and diet as advised from the medical board, his vitals are within normal limits at present,” it added.
Hitting back at the jail administration, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said that the administration has admitted that Kejriwal’s sugar level has decreased many times and that he has also lost weight.
“If the sugar level decreases, one can go into coma during sleep and there is a risk of brain stroke,” Singh said. He said that making the medical report of any patient public is an offence and several times jail administration has issued CM’s medical report. “This proves that there is conspiracy being hatched to play with life of Arvind Kejriwal,” he added.
Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged corruption case linked to Delhi’s now-scrapped liquor policy. He was out on bail briefly to campaign for the Lok Sabha election and then returned to Tihar jail on June 2. The Supreme Court has granted him bail in the ED case, but he remains in jail in a case being pursued by CBI in the liquor policy. The AAP had earlier also raised questions over his healthcare, availability of insulin and meals in the jail.