Don, terrorist and gangster are Kejriwal's neighbors in Tihar
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be lodged in Tihar Jail until April 15, when his judicial remand is set to end. Currently, he is housed in Jail Number 2, alongside notorious personalities such as underworld criminal Chhota Rajan, gangster Neeraj Bawana, and alleged terrorist Ziaur Rehman. Rajan was formerly associated with Don Dawood Ibrahim before becoming his rival. Bawana faces over 40 cases—including murder, attempted murder, and extortion charges, while Rehman is allegedly linked to the Indian Mujahideen (IM).
Why does this story matter?
On March 21, Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate(ED) in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy. On Monday, he was sent to 15-day judicial remand by the Rouse Avenue Court. Reportedly, Kejriwal has fallen sick and lost around 4.5kg weight since his arrest. The authorities in Tihar Jail, however, have denied the claims, saying that no concerns have been raised by the prison's medical staff.
Other AAP leaders also detained
Kejriwal is the fourth member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the fifth opposition leader to be imprisoned in Tihar. His former deputy Manish Sisodia is detained in Jail No 1, while AAP leaders Satyendar Jain and Sanjay Singh are in Jail No 7 and Jail No 5 respectively. Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader and former Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter—K Kavitha—is in Jail No 6's women's section for her alleged involvement in the excise policy scam.
Singh to walk out of jail today
Notably, Sisodia and Singh have also been detained in the excise policy case. However, Singh will walk out of jail on Wednesday, a day after he was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the case. Meanwhile, Jain was arrested in 2022 on money laundering charges for acquiring disproportionate assets while he was a minister in the Delhi Cabinet.
Kejriwal to continue as Delhi CM
Despite his detention, Kejriwal continues to serve as the CM of the national capital. He is the first sitting chief minister to be arrested by a law enforcement agency. There are no legal or constitutional restrictions preventing the AAP's national convener from continuing his duties as chief minister. However, legal experts have raised doubts about the practicality of such an arrangement.
Kejriwal's health and personal provisions in detention
Since Kejriwal is diabetic, medical personnel are available round the clock for emergencies and routine check-ups during his prison stay. His lawyer has requested a special diet due to his health condition. Kejriwal is also allowed to meet family members twice a week—provided their names are on a list cleared by prison security. A request has also been made for copies of the books Ramayan, Shrimad Bhagvad Gita, and "How Prime Ministers Decide."
