AAP vs Tihar jail over Arvind Kejriwal’s health; authorities says ‘he lost only 2 kg…’

Debate over the health of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal continued on Monday with Tihar officials insisting that he was being monitored by an AIIMS medical board. The assertion came after AAP leaders claimed that the senior politician had lost 8.5 kgs while in the grip of a ‘serious disease’.

“The blood pressure and sugar levels and weight of the accused is regularly being monitored and he is provided adequate treatment for all his ailments and is regularly having home-cooked food thrice a day,” countered a letter from the jail authorities on Monday.

Tihar jail sources also told PTI that the AAP supremo had lost only 2 kg and was being monitored regularly. The missive indicated that the jail administration has written to the state Home Department rejecting the AAP allegations.

“Such a narrative confuses and misleads the public with false information and ulterior motives with intent to browbeat the prison administration.”

AAP leaders have repeatedly voiced concerns about Kejriwal's health since he was arrested earlier this year. Senior party leader Sanjay Singh claimed on Saturday that the CM had lost 8.5 kg in jail and that it was indicative of a serious disease. His blood sugar level had also allegedly plunged five times, dropping as low as 50 mg/dL.

Tihar jail sources however insisted that the AAP supremo had lost only 2 kg and was being monitored regularly. A health reported shared by the prison authorities indicates that Kejriwal weighed 65 kg when he was jailed on April 1. This rose to 66 kg between April 8 and April 29. Officials said that his weight stood at 63.5 kg when he returned to jail on June 2 after 21 days of bail.

Kejriwal was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on Friday in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy ‘scam’. However he remains in jail in connection with the CBI case.

(With inputs from agencies)