Arvind Kejriwal is currently in Delhi's Tihar Jail.The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, currently in Tihar Jail, of strategically consuming mangoes, sweets, and sugary tea despite having type 2 diabetes to manipulate his blood sugar levels in a bid to secure bail.
This assertion arose during a hearing in a Delhi court where Kejriwal had filed an application seeking continuous monitoring of his sugar levels and permission to consult his doctor. Kejriwal submitted that he needs to consult his doctor through video conference thrice a week.
Zoheb Hossain, the Special Counsel for the Enforcement Directorate, argued that Kejriwal’s motive behind this alleged tactic was to lay the groundwork for a bail plea based on fluctuating blood sugar levels, as reported by Bar and Bench.
The agency stated that it had allowed the CM home-cooked food. “He is consuming aloo puri, mangoes and sweets daily to raise his sugar levels. Maybe he has no control. I haven’t heard of a type 2 diabetes person consuming all this, consuming sugar in any meal!” the ED counsel said.
Advocate Vivek Jain, representing Kejriwal, raised objection to the ED’s stance, accusing the central agency of making statements for media consumption. Jain informed the court of Kejriwal’s decision to withdraw the application, indicating plans to submit a more comprehensive one. The court requested a medical report from jail authorities regarding Kejriwal’s dietary intake and scheduled further proceedings for tomorrow.
Arvind Kejriwal remains in judicial custody at Tihar jail following his arrest by the ED in connection with a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy. The trial court recently extended his judicial custody until April 23, 2024.
Kejriwal has appealed to the Supreme Court against a Delhi High Court ruling that rejected his plea challenging his arrest by the ED in the excise policy case.
Meanwhile, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Delhi High Court, seeking directions for the Director General of Prisons to make arrangements for Arvind Kejriwal to conduct virtual meetings with assembly members and cabinet ministers. The plea also calls for directives to the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to prevent the media from broadcasting purportedly misleading and sensational headlines regarding the imposition of President’s rule in Delhi.