Delhi court denies Kejriwal's request for video consultations with doctor
Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Monday rejected Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea seeking daily 15-minute consultations with his personal physician in presence of his wife Sunita Kejriwal. Kejriwal—who was arrested last month in the liquor policy case—is a Type 2 diabetes patient. Last week, the Aam Aadmi Party alleged that he "was not being given insulin despite repeated requests." The court has directed to form a panel of specialist doctors to evaluate if the AAP leader requires regular insulin injections.
Why does this story matter?
According to the AAP, Kejriwal's health has been deteriorating since his arrest on March 21 in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. On April 3, the party said that Kejriwal had lost around 4.5kg since his incarceration. He has also been experiencing fluctuations in his blood sugar levels, it added. But over the past few days, the AAP has been alleging that Kejriwal is being subjected to a "slow death" in Tihar Jail.
Court directs jail authorities to provide medical care
The court has also instructed jail authorities to ensure that Kejriwal receives appropriate medical care, including specialized treatment from diabetologists or endocrinologists. This came amid the controversy over Kejriwal's diet and diabetes treatment in Tihar. Recently, the jail authorities in a report to Delhi Lieutenant General VK Saxena said that the RML Hospital doctors did not prescribe insulin for the CM. According to them, Kejriwal's blood sugar levels were not concerning, and he was advised oral anti-diabetic medication.
ED claims Kejriwal intentionally elevating blood sugar
Earlier this week, the Enforcement Directorate claimed that Kejriwal had been intentionally consuming foods such as mangoes and aloo-poori to elevate his blood sugar levels. The ED alleges this was done to provide grounds for medical bail. However, Kejriwal's lawyer, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, has refuted these claims, stating that only three out of 48 meals sent from home contained mangoes and that Kejriwal uses sugar-free sweeteners in his tea.
Plea on 'extraordinary interim bail' dismissed
Earlier in the day, a Delhi court rejected a plea for the release of Kejriwal on "extraordinary interim bail" in all criminal cases by the ED and the State until the end of his tenure. The court further fined the petitioner ₹75,000, citing that the AAP leader is in judicial custody as per court orders. The court deemed the plea, filed by a fourth-year law student under the name "We the People of India," as "not maintainable."
