‘Paced up and down his cell’: How Delhi CM Kejriwal spent his first day in Tihar jail
The Delhi CM has been lodged in Jail Number 2 has been given access to books, television and home-cooked food till his sugar levels stabilise
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was taken to Tihar jail on Monday (April 1), spent his first night pacing up and down his 14x8 feet cell, barely managing to catch a wink, a prison official told PTI.
Kejriwal, who is the first sitting chief minister to be lodged in Tihar jail, was ferried to its premises after a Delhi court on Monday sent him to judicial custody till April 15, in the Delhi excise policy case.
Before being taken to the jail, the AAP convener was medically examined. His sugar levels were found to be below 50 at that time and medicines were given to him on the advice of doctors, the prison official said. The Delhi chief minister has been lodged in Jail Number 2.
Sugar levels low, under watch of doctors
The chief minister was given tea in the afternoon and was served home-cooked food for dinner, a source told PTI. Kejriwal has also been given a mattress, blankets and two pillows.
He slept on a cement platform for some time and was seen walking in his cell late in the night, the source said.
In the morning, Kejriwal's sugar level was still low and he is under the watch of Tihar jail doctors, prison officials said. He is allowed to have home-cooked food in lunch and dinner and it will be served daily, till his sugar level comes to normal, they said.
Kejriwal was seen doing meditation in his cell on Tuesday morning after which he was served tea and two biscuits.
Kejriwal gets 3 books, access to TV time
The court has allowed Kejriwal access to personal items including books, medication and his religious locket.
He has taken the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayan and How Prime Ministers Decide to his cell.
Besides being allowed to read books, he has been given permission to watch TV inside the jail.
He, however, will be under the strict vigil of CCTV cameras and security personnel round the clock. Two personnel from Tihar Jail Security and a jail warder have been deployed outside his cell. Jail authorities are keeping a watch on him through the CCTV cameras, while a quick reaction team has also been deployed near his cell, officials said.
What’s on jail menu?
While the court has allowed home-cooked food for the Delhi chief minister till his sugar levels stabilise, Kejriwal will have to adhere to tea, food and TV timings followed by other inmates.
Inmates are given tea, biscuits and snacks like ‘dalia’ between 7 and 8 am. Lunch is either rice or chapatti along with dal and a vegetable.
The wards remain closed between 12 pm and 3pm and tea is served again at 4 pm. Dinner which is served at 7 pm is the same fare as lunch, sources said.
6 people CM wants to meet
As per the rules, Kejriwal has given a list of six people whom he would like to meet. The list includes his wife Sunita Kejriwal, their son and daughter, his private secretary Bibhav Kumar and AAP general secretary (organisation) Sandeep Pathak.
His wife and children are likely to meet him on Tuesday, an official said.
The Delhi court cited the Enforcement Directorate's contention that his release could hamper the investigation into the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case while sending Kejriwal to judicial custody on Monday. Underscoring that Kejriwal was misleading it, the federal probe agency said it was still investigating the chief minister's role, unearthing the further proceeds of crime and identifying the other persons involved with the activities related to the proceeds of crime.
