Atishi accuses Centre, Delhi LG Saxena of "conspiring" against jailed CM Kejriwal

New Delhi [India], April 19 : Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi lashed out at the central government and the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) for allegedly "protesting" in the court against providing insulin to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in jail.
Atishi accused that the Centre and LG Saxena of conspiring against CM Kejriwal and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is following the suit of the British and denying food and medicines to his "opponents" in jail.
"This would be the first time in the history of India that a person in judicial custody is being stopped from taking his medicines. This person is not a gangster, not a robber, but a three-time CM elected by majority. He has been suffering from diabetes for 30 years and the doctor has prescribed insulin. But BJP and central government are refusing to give him insulin," Atishi said during a press conference in Delhi on Friday.
"Today, ED and the central government were protesting in court against giving insulin to CM Kejriwal. Today, PM Modi and LG VK Saxena are also involved in this conspiracy. Both the lawyers who appeared in the court on behalf of Tihar administration today are special counsels of the Lieutenant Governor's office. Today the LG sent them to protest against giving insulin to Arvind Kejriwal," she added.
The AAP leader also criticised the Tihar administration for "sending jail information" to the ED.
"ED has presented an email in court which has come from Tihar administration. Under which legal provision has Tihar administration sent this complete information to ED? Anyone in jail remains in the custody of the court. The job of the ED is to investigate money laundering. ED took this information from the jail administration," she said.
"Such cases of denying food and medicines to jailed leaders were heard before independence. Bhagat Singh had gone on a hunger strike in jail due to similar cases of torture of prisoners. Today PM Modi is doing what the British used to do, he is not allowing food and medicines to his opponents in jail," she added.
Earlier in the day, CM Kejriwal filed a fresh application seeking direction to jail authorities to administer insulin and allow him to consult with doctors through video conferencing daily for 15 minutes for his acute diabetes and fluctuating blood sugar levels.
The plea also stated that the Delhi Chief Minister's wife, Sunita Kejriwal, should also be allowed to join the consultation with Dr Ravichandra Rao through video conference.
The plea further stated that from February 1 this year, under careful medical supervision, Kejriwal was able to start the 'Insulin Reversal Programme' and the administration of insulin was discontinued. The strict medical supervision of a diabetes expert helped in effectively regulating glucose levels. The medicines, food and exercises would be titrated [continuously measured and adjusted] daily using a continuous glucose monitoring sensor in which blood sugars were closely monitored.
Due to his arrest on March 21, the applicant was incapacitated and was unable to follow the said Insulin Reversal Programme, stated the plea.
On Thursday, ED alleged that Kejriwal is consciously consuming items like tea with sugar, bananas, sweets (1/2 pieces), 'Poori, Aaloo Sabji', etc., on a regular basis, despite being a patient of diabetes mellitus type II and knowing very well that consumption of such items results in an increase in blood sugar. This is being done to create a medical emergency, to obtain sympathetic treatment from the court of law on medical grounds.
Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the ED about the Delhi Excise Policy case. The trial court, on April 15, extended the judicial custody of Arvind Kejriwal till April 23. The ED alleged that the Aam Adami Party is the major beneficiary of the proceeds of crime generated in the alleged liquor scam.