4 min readNew DelhiApr 2, 2024 11:54 AM IST
First published on: Apr 2, 2024 at 05:42 AM IST
Five regular visitors, including his wife and children, permission to carry some books, two security personnel outside the ward number 3 of Tihar prison’s Jail number 2 — this is what Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is undertrial prisoner (UT) no. 670, is allowed in prison.
Wearing a white shirt, Kejriwal entered the Tihar jail complex at around 4.45 pm on Monday, and his picture was clicked for the record registration. After being checked by the jail security, his baggage — inside which he was allowed to carry a few pairs of clothes — was scanned too. He was lodged in Tihar jail on May 21, 2014, when he spent two days there after he refused to pay a bail amount of Rs 10,000 in a defamation case filed against him by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari. His undertrial prisoner (UT) number was 3624, a source said.
Another source said that the CM has been lodged in ward no. 3 of Tihar jail number 2, with other inmates such as gangster Chhota Rajan, Neeraj Bawana, and Naveen Bali. “He was taken for a medical checkup to the clinic, and then lodged in the 14X8 ward. Till Sunday, AAP leader Sanjay Singh and Tihar jail staff — who were arrested for allegedly helping conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar and other jail staff to kill jailed gangster Ankit Gujjar — were shifted to jail no. 5; with all the adjoining cells left vacant,” said the source. Two security personnel have been deployed round the clock outside Kejriwal’s ward along with other staff to monitor his activity on CCTV cameras.
Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita at the Rouse Avenue Court. (Express File Photo)
“Five visitors — Kejriwal’s wife, daughter, son, private secretary Bibhav Kumar, and Rajya Sabha MP and AAP’s national general secretary (organisation) Sandeep Pathak — have been mentioned in the visitors’ register for regular visits.”
Kejriwal’s former deputy Manish Sisodia is lodged in Jail no. 1, former health minister Satyendar Jain in jail no. 7 and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh in jail no. 5. On “jail mulakats”, Kejriwal will be allowed to meet his family members twice a week, apart from “legal mulakats”.
Elaborating the daily routine that Kejriwal would follow, just like other inmates, another official said that the barracks open at 6 am, according to the jail manual. Inmates are allowed to move inside and a head count is carried out. “Biscuits, tea, and porridge are served at 8 am, with lunch including dal and vegetable, five chapatis and rice being served at 11 am…the barracks remain shut between 12 pm and 3 pm, and it opens again when the inmates are served evening snacks,” added an officer. The inmates are served dinner around 6 pm, and then the barracks close around 7 pm. Superintendents carry out a head count at the end of the day,” according to the official.
Among the requests made by the CM’s counsel regarding his stay inside the jail, the court stated that the prescribed medication shall be provided to the applicant and he shall be permitted to carry devices such as sugar sensor, in case of non-availability with the jail authorities. The jail superintendent concerned was directed to provide Kejriwal with isabgol, glucose, toffees, bananas, as and when required in case of sudden fall in his sugar level. Further, the court stated that the request for permitting special diet, as prescribed, such as home cooked food and bottled water were also allowed by the court as requested by the CM’s counsel.
Kejriwal was also allowed by the court to carry/ wear his spectacles and the superintendent was directed to consider the request of the applicant to provide him books, notepad and pen, as requested and as per the jail manual, and if the same were not available with the jail authorities, the accused may be permitted to carry his own books and notepad and pen, subject to scrutiny as per rules. Jail officials said that a meeting headed by the Director General (Prisons) and the superintendent of the jail is being conducted to consider the requests made by the Chief Minister and the same will accordingly be decided.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal being taken to Tihar jail on Monday (Express File Photo)
Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita at the Rouse Avenue Court. (Express File Photo)
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