Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday became the fourth member of the AAP (and the fifth opposition leader overall) to be incarcerated in the national capital’s Tihar Jail, as political tension between the ruling BJP and its rival INDIA bloc ramps up days before the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
Arvind Kejriwal will be in jail till April 15; the ED, which had custody of him since his arrest on March 21 and is still investigating his role in the alleged scam, said it may need his custody again in the future.
He will be in Tihar’s Jail No 2, with his ex-deputy, Manish Sisodia in Jail No 1, former Health Minister Satyendar Jain in Jail No 7, and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh in Jail No 5.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha, who is also former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s daughter, is in Jail No 6 of the women’s section.
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Ms Kavitha is accused of being part of the ‘south group’ that paid bribes to the AAP to get liquor licenses in the national capital.
Arvind Kejriwal Prison Routine
Mr Kejriwal and the other prisoners’ days will begin at sunrise, which is around 6:30 am this time of the year. The prisoners will get tea and a few slices of bread as their breakfast.
After a morning shower Mr Kejriwal will leave for court (if a hearing is scheduled) or sit down for a meeting with his legal team.
Lunch will be between 10:30 and 11 am, and consists of a dal, a sabzi, and five rotis or rice.
READ | Prison Food, Shared Cell For BRS’ K Kavitha On Day 1 Inside Tihar Jail
Prisoners are then locked in their cells from noon to 3 pm.
At 3:30 pm they get a cup of tea and two biscuits, and can meet their lawyers at 4 pm.
An early dinner – the same as lunch – is at 5:30 pm, after which the prisoners are locked up for the night by 7 pm.
Arvind Kejriwal Prison Facilities
Mr Kejriwal can watch the television except during scheduled prison activities, such as meals and lock-UP. Between 18 and 20 channels, including news, entertainment, and sports are allowed.
There are doctors and medical staff available 24/7 in case of an emergency; Mr Kejriwal, who is a diabetic, will have regular check-ups during his imprisonment.
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Mr Kejriwal’s lawyer had requested a special diet in view of his illness.
The Chief Minister – who has so far run the Delhi government from the ED lock-up – can meet family members twice a week. However, their names must be on a list that is cleared by prison security.
A request has also been made to provide Mr Kejriwal with copies of the Ramayan, Shrimad Bhagvad Gita, and How Prime Ministers Decide – a book by journalist Neerja Chowdhury.
Why Was Arvind Kejriwal Arrested?
Mr Kejriwal – labelled a key conspirator by the ED – has been arrested on corruption charges.
The ED believes the now-scrapped liquor policy provided an impossibly high profit margin of 185 per cent for retailers and 12 per cent for wholesalers. Of the latter, six per cent – over Rs 600 crore – were bribes demanded by Mr Kejriwal and the money was allegedly used to fund poll campaigns.
NDTV Explains | Why Enforcement Directorate Arrested Arvind Kejriwal
Mr Kejriwal, his colleagues behind bars, and other senior AAP leaders have denied all charges; they have pointed to an investigation that has spanned two years and resulted in no cash recovery, and accused the BJP of a “political conspiracy” to discredit the opposition party before an election.
The AAP has said Mr Kejriwal’s arrest was timed to interfere with his poll campaign plans.
The opposition has also accused the BJP of using investigative agencies that report to the centre – like the ED and Central Bureau of Investigation – to target rival political leaders before the election.
The BJP has firmly dismissed such claims.
Mr Kejriwal, meanwhile, moved the Delhi High Court against his arrest, arguing fundamental rights were violated by the agency. The court issued a notice to the ED and the hearing will resume Wednesday.
Opposition Leaders In Tihar Jail
Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and K Kavitha have all been arrested in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam that has roiled the AAP and national politics before the election.
Satyendar Jain was arrested in a separate money laundering case.
READ | Arrest Warrant In Hand, Kavitha’s Brother Objects To ED Move
Neither the AAP leaders nor Ms Kavitha have yet been convicted; Mr Kejriwal was sent to jail this morning after spending 10 days in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate.
READ | Arvind Kejriwal Sent To Jail After Probe Agency Claims He’s “Uncooperative”
A potentially significant point is that Arvind Kejriwal – whose AAP is a key member of the INDIA bloc bidding to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP – is to be lodged in Jail No 2.
This is usually where convicted individuals are kept. Prisoners awaiting trial – again, neither Mr Kejriwal, or his colleagues, or Ms Kavitha – are usually lodged in Jail No 5.
Tihar has a total of 16 jails and is home to around 20,000 prisoners.
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