Tihar Jail refutes AAP claims of Arvind Kejriwal's health deterioration, reports only 2 kg weight loss
PTC Web Desk: Recent updates from Tihar Jail indicate that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has lost only 2 kg while jailed. This statement follows allegations by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that Arvind Kejriwal has lost 8.5 kg since his arrest, accusing the BJP of conspiring to harm his health by keeping him in jail without adequate medical care, especially given his diabetic condition.
According to sources, Arvind Kejriwal's health is being closely monitored by a medical board from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The jail administration has written to the Delhi Government's home department, refuting the claims made by AAP ministers and leaders. The letter stated that such allegations "confuse and mislead the public" and insisted that Arvind Kejriwal's health is being properly managed.
On Sunday, Delhi Cabinet minister Atishi claimed that Arvind Kejriwal had experienced an "unexplained weight loss of 8.5 kg" since his arrest and that his blood sugar levels had dropped below 50 mg/dL on multiple occasions while in jail. AAP MP Sanjay Singh claimed that Kejriwal's "fluctuating sugar levels' could lead to severe health complications such as a coma or brain stroke. He flayed the public sharing of Kejriwal's medical reports, calling it a violation of privacy and part of a conspiracy against him.
In response, Tihar Jail sources provided a detailed timeline of Kejriwal's weight fluctuations: He weighed 65 kg upon his initial imprisonment on April 1 and 66 kg between April 8 and 29. Following his return to jail on June 2 after a 21-day bail period, his weight was recorded at 63.5 kg. As of July 14, his weight stood at 61.5 kg, indicating a total weight loss of 2 kg.
The sources claimed that Arvind Kejriwal was being provided home-cooked food, although he had reportedly been returning portions of it since June 3. The medical board from AIIMS was in regular contact with Kejriwal's wife, Sunita Kejriwal.
The Tihar Jail administration's letter to the Delhi government's home department stated that Kejriwal's blood pressure, sugar levels, and weight were being consistently monitored and that he was receiving appropriate treatment for his health conditions. The letter accused vested interest groups of spreading false information to undermine the prison administration.
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy for 2021-22. He was subsequently arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 26 on corruption charges related to the same case. Although Kejriwal was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in the money laundering case, he remains in jail due to the ongoing CBI investigation.
- With inputs from agencies
