Delhi court seeks response from jail authorities, ED on Arvind Kejriwal’s insulin issue, next hearing April 22

A Delhi court on Friday sought reply from Enforcement Directorate and Tihar jail authorities pertaining to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s claim that he was denied insulin in jail despite being a patient of acute diabetes.

Kejriwal’s lawyer filed a petition in the Rouse Avenue Court seeking directions to Tihar Jail authority to provide him with insulin. 

Currently lodged in Tihar jail, Kejriwal suffers from acute diabetes. After hearing, the court reserved its order and asked ED and jail authorities to file their replies by Saturday (April 20). The court will announce the order on Monday.

AAp’s national convenor has said that since his judicial custody, his blood sugar levels are fluctuating at an alarming rate due to acute diabetes, which is posing high risk to his health.

The application stated that the jail authorities in collaboration with ED, sought to do media trial by alleging that his sugar level is rising because of his diet in jail. It added that ED made an issue about a small portion of fruit (mango) sent thrice in about 48 meals that were sent to Kejriwal, reported Live Law.

“That ED has tried to shield Jail Authorities by falsely alleging that sweets were consumed to raise sugar level, knowing fully well that such item was a sugar-free item. That ED also made an absolutely false statement that applicant is having tea laced with sugar to spike up his sugar levels,” the plea stated.

Kejriwal, 55, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the night of March 21. His judicial custody is expiring on April 23.

The Delhi High Court on April 10 dismissed Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest, highlighting that ED had in possession enough material, statements of approvers and AAP's own candidate to put the Delhi CM under remand.

He challenged the said order of the Delhi High Court bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma before the Supreme Court which issued notice on the plea but refused to grant any interim relief.

AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are also accused in the case. While Sisodia continues to remain in jail, Singh was recently granted bail by the Supreme Court.

ED has alleged that Arvind Kejriwal is the "kingpin" of Delhi excise scam and is directly involved in the use of proceeds of crime accounting to over Rs. 100 crores.

The Central agency has also claimed that there was a conspiracy that was coordinated by Vijay Nair and other individuals along with South Group to give extraordinary profit margins to wholesalers.

According to the agency, Nair was acting on behalf of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia.