Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 (File).
New Delhi:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal – a diabetes patient who has gone to court claiming Tihar Jail officials have withheld his supply of insulin for 31 days – has hit out at prison authorities, accusing them of making “false statements” and “lying under political pressure (from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party)”.
Sources said the Aam Aadmi Party leader – in jail since the Enforcement Directorate arrested him on March 21 in the alleged Delhi liquor scam case – wrote a note to Tihar Jail’s Superintendent after the prison arranged a video conference with doctors from the central government-run All India Institute of Medical Sciences. After the meeting jail officials claimed the supply of insulin had not been raised.
Jail officials also claimed the doctors “assured (Mr Kejriwal) there is no serious concern” and advised him to “continue with the prescribed medicines, which will be evaluated regularly”.
Mr Kejriwal, though, has a different take on the matter.
“I read the statement of Tihar administration in the newspaper… I felt sad after reading the statements. Both statements of Tihar Jail are false. I am asking for insulin daily… I showed the glucometer readings (three times a day) and told them sugar levels are high…”
According to Mr Kejriwal the sugar level readings are between 250 and 320 mg/dl. “Almost every day, I demanded insulin. Then how could you make such a statement that I never raised the issue of insulin?”
According to the World Health Organization, “expected values for normal fasting blood glucose concentration are between 70 and 100 mg/dL (or milligrams per decilitre)”.
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“AIIMS doctors never said there is nothing to worry about… they said they will respond after looking at the (medical) data and (patient) history,” the Chief Minister reportedly said.
“The Tihar administration is lying under political pressure…” he is understood to have told the jail chief, ramping up tension between himself and the centre – which he has accused of “political vendetta” – ahead of the Lok Sabha election in the national capital on May 25.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader – in jail since the Enforcement Directorate arrested him on March 21 in the alleged Delhi liquor scam case – moved a court last week seeking directions for supply of the life-saving drug. Mr Kejriwal criticised the jail and probe agency for being “petty” and “politicising” his well-being.
READ | “Had Mangoes Only Thrice, Sweets 6 Times In Jail”: Arvind Kejriwal
The court – to which the ED claimed the Chief Minister deliberately ate foods high in sugar – like mangoes and toffees – to place his health at risk and prove grounds for medical bail – quizzed Mr Kejriwal about variations in his prescribed diet and reserved its verdict for today.
Why Was Arvind Kejriwal Arrested?
The probe agency believes the Chief Minister played a key role in drafting the now-scrapped policy and seeking bribes, or kickbacks, in return for liquor licences.
These kickbacks, the ED has claimed, amounted to around Rs 600 crore and some of this, the ED has said, was used to fund the party’s Punjab and Goa election campaigns, which won the AAP its first state government outside Delhi and confirmed its status as a national political party.
The AAP and Mr Kejriwal have refused all charges and called the arrest. The Chief Minister’s colleague, Atishi, has accused the centre of a “conspiracy to kill” Mr Kejriwal since it seems unable to defeat him in an election; the reference was to the past two Assembly polls.
READ | Kejriwal To Stay In Jail For Now, Supreme Court Refuses Early Hearing
Mr Kejriwal has challenged his arrest in the Supreme Court. However, the top court has refused an early hearing. He must now wait till April 29, when the court reconvenes to hear the ED’s reply.
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