Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday informed the Rouse Avenue Court that mangoes were sent from his home only thrice after he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21. Besides, Kejriwal said, he had sugar-free sweets six times. Accusing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of being "petty" and "politicising" what he ate in jail, Kejriwal asserted before a court that the food he consumed was in conformity with the diet chart prepared by his doctor.
He made the submission while the court was hearing his application to allow him to have insulin inside the jail owing to his diabetic condition. Kejriwal has also requested online consultation with a private doctor every day for 15 minutes in the presence of his wife Sunita Kejriwal.
Kejriwal's counsel launched a spirited assault on the ED over its claim that the AAP national convenor was eating food laden with sugar so he can fall ill and seek bail on medical grounds.
"ED claimed that I want to increase my blood sugar levels to get bail. Am I going to risk paralysis to get bail? Whatever food I have is as per the diet chart prepared by my doctor prior to arrest," Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi told the court. Referring to the ED's claim about the politician eating mangoes, sweets, aalo-poori etc regularly, he said these were provided to him only a few times.
Kejriwal’s counsel argued that an impression is sought to be given that everyday regularly the Applicant is having mangoes with sweets and aloo puri. “This is farther from truth and contrary to Jails own document. Mango (in small container) came only on 3 days ,i.e., 6th April, & 7th April and 8th April – how does it have any effect on high sugar levels as shown above from 12th April till 17th April.
"The allegation is that I have been consuming mangoes... Out of 48 meals sent from home, only three times mangoes were there. No mangoes have been sent after April 8. Mangoes have been made to look like sugar bullets. Their sugar level (glycemic index) is much less than brown rice or white rice," Singhvi told the court.
Kejriwal has been allowed to have food cooked at home in jail. "I only use sugar free (an artificial sugar brand) in my tea. How petty, political and ridiculous ED can be? Their statements are completely false and malicious. Just because you have a lot of influence in the media you are able to publish that I am having aaloo puri even though this meal was sent only once during pooja," he told the court.
Kejriwal, who had on Thursday withdrawn a petition for consulting his doctor thrice a week about his fluctuating sugar levels, moved a fresh plea on Friday seeking consultations with his physician for 15 minutes every day.
"Just because I am a prisoner do I have no right to a dignified life and good health? Am I a gangster that I cannot even be allowed to have 15 minutes VC (video conference) consultation with my doctor? We have had democracy for 75 years but I am seeing such an approach for the first time. Never seen such kind of pettiness," Singhvi said, reproachfully.
"What has ED got to do with this hearing? He (ED) is not a party. It is between me and jail and court? They are having a media trial and press is publishing anything it wants," the counsel told the court. The court reserved its order on Kejriwal's application seeking daily consultation with his doctor for Monday and directed Tihar jail authorities to file a reply, if required, by Saturday.
“Moreover, Tihar Jail through ED counsel produced a chart of what food went in for Applicant to be had. However, a lot many times Applicant would leave food item and not have the same. No such details were produced to show what Applicant actually had. The real reason for continuous spike is the refusal of Jail Authorities to give insulin to the Applicant which is life-saving drug. It is shocking that ED apprehends that a person would deliberately cause such alarming hike in sugar level and risk his life – for getting medical bail. Since , jail administration has failed to give insulin to the Applicant prays for administration of insulin and to consult his regular doctor - Dr. Ravichandra Rao, MBBS, DCH, Consultant Diabetologist of WHEALTH, Centre for Excellence in Diabetes and Weight Management, through video conferencing for 15 minutes every daily,” Kejriwal said in his plea.
