'Unable To Fathom': Delhi Court On Mango-Aloo Puri Home Diet Served To Kejriwal, Pulls Up Tihar Authorities

‘unable to fathom’: delhi court on mango-aloo puri home diet served to kejriwal, pulls up tihar authorities

New Delhi: Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Monday noted that items provided to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the home-cooked food were different from what was prescribed by his own doctor. The court pulled up Tihar Jail authorities over the matter.

“This court is also unable to fathom as to why the family of the applicant has been sending various articles against his medically prescribed diet i.e. mango, sweets, aloo puri etc,” Special Judge Kaveri Baweja said.

“In this regard, reference may be made to rejoinder filed by the applicant, wherein in para no. 13, it is mentioned by the applicant himself that mangoes, sweets (stated to be sugar free) and aloo­ puri (as prasad) were sent to him in Jail by his family,” the judge stated.

The court noted that the diet chart of the applicant did not prescribe vegetables like potatoes, Arbi and there was also no specific mention of mangoes in the said diet charts of the applicant.

The court also pulled up jail authorities over the matter. “Jail Authorities, in the present case, have also offered no explanation whatsoever, as to why the food items which were not as per order of this court dated 01.04.2024 and the medical prescription of the Applicant, were allowed to be sent to him, in the first place,” the judge stated.

“The Jail administration neither brought the said non­compliance of the order to the notice of this court, nor took any steps to ensure that the Applicant does not consume those food items which were not prescribed by his doctor,” Justice Baweja added.

On the matter of providing mangoes to Kejriwal in the jail, the court noted, “The applicant’s own doctor did not specifically prescribe mangoes to the applicant as per the diet chart filed by the applicant before this court on 01.04.2024.”

Meanwhile, the Delhi court ordered the constitution of a medical panel to decide whether Kejriwal needs regular insulin shots.

“Though it shall continue to be the primary duty of Tihar Jail Authorities, Who is stated to be fully equipped to take care of the health of Kejriwal, to ensure that all required medical treatment is provided to him in Jail, however, in event of any requirement for specialised consultation, the Jail Authorities shall consult medical board to be constituted by Director AIIMS,” the court said.

The AIIMS medical board is also requested to submit its report to this court at the earliest specifying as to whether there is any requirement of administering Insulin to the applicant at this juncture.

Contrary to the claims being made By the AAP and Kejriwal, the judge noted, “Tihar Jail Authorities have also stated that the decision to administer an injectable drug i.e. Insulin, cannot be taken by the Applicant himself. From the response of the ED and Jail Authorities, it has also emerged that the Applicant has never requested for administering Insulin to him. Rather, the Applicant stated to have been off Insulin since February 2024.”

“Even as per report dated 18.04.2024 relied upon by the Ld. Senior Counsel for the applicant, the applicant had been switched to oral medication and it has been reported that administration of insulin ‘may be’ required if his sugar levels remained uncontrolled. Hence, the question of giving insulin to the inmate merely on his request does not arise at all,” the court added.

Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Delhi liquor excise policy case.