Kejriwal’s counsel criticized the ED for making petty and absurd arguments regarding his consumption of mangoes to raise his blood sugar level before the trial court.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was apprehended last month concerning the Delhi Excise Policy case, has rejected the assertions made by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a Delhi court, suggesting that he has been consuming mangoes to artificially elevate his blood sugar levels and obtain bail on medical grounds.
Kejriwal’s counsel presented a rebuttal today before Judge Kaveri Baweja, stating,
“The allegation is that I have been consuming mangoes… Out of 48 meals sent from home, only 3 times mangoes were there. They want to do a media trial. Their submission was only for media news. No mangoes have been sent after April 8. The mangoes have been made to look like sugar bullets. Their sugar level is much less than brown rice or white rice,” Senior Advocate AM Singhvi submitted, representing Kejriwal.
Also read: Arvind Kejriwal Accused of Manipulating Blood Sugar Levels for Bail; ED Alleges Deliberate Tactics
Furthermore, Kejriwal’s legal team criticized the ED for making baseless arguments before the trial court, labeling them as petty and politically motivated. Singhvi emphasized, “I only use sugar-free in my tea. How petty, political and ridiculous ED can be? Their statements are completely false and malicious. Just because you have a lot of influence in the media, you are able to publish that I am having aloo puri even though this meal was sent once during pooja…We have had democracy for 75 years but I am seeing such an approach for the first time. Never seen such kind of pettiness.”
Advocate Zoheb Hossein, representing the ED, stood by the allegations made by the ED during today’s hearing. He reiterated, “My submission yesterday was that the content of his diet does not match the prescribed diet of the doctor. The diet chart has no reference to sweets or sweet fruits. The diet appears to be very regulated and strict. Therefore, there is a direct correlation between his submission that he is having an alarming rise in his sugar level and his diet.”
In response to the ongoing situation, Kejriwal withdrew his previous application and filed a fresh plea seeking permission for fifteen-minute visits by a doctor daily to monitor his diabetes and fluctuating blood sugar levels. He also requested that his wife, Sunita Kejriwal, be permitted to remain present during these medical check-ups.
Singhvi reiterated the necessity of closely monitoring Kejriwal’s health condition, stating,
“It is a well-known fact that he (Kejriwal) suffers from Diabetes. For 12 years, he has got insulin every day. He was being given insulin every day. From February, well before my arrest, an insulin reversal programme started. It has to be monitored very, very minutely. It is common ground that I am unable to follow the programme in jail. I have said repeatedly that only my doctor can monitor it minutely. My only prayer is that I be allowed to consult my doctor.”
In the midst of these developments, the Delhi Court had earlier requested a diet chart illustrating the food consumed by Kejriwal at Tihar Jail, where he is presently detained. In today’s hearing, advocate Yoginder Handoo, representing the Tihar jail authorities, supported the ED’s stance, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the prescribed diet plan. He stated,
“There was no stipulation in his (Kejriwal’s) diet that he should have fruit or anything. In fact, he is not following the diet. We have also got an opinion from AIIMS. According to this, he should avoid mangoes. He should follow this diet. There is no need for insulin. In fact, if he takes insulin, sugar level will go down drastically.”
The hearing regarding this matter is currently ongoing.
Arvind Kejriwal was detained on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges alleging his involvement as the “key conspirator” in a money laundering case. This apprehension occurred shortly after the Delhi High Court dismissed his plea for interim protection from arrest. Following his arrest, Kejriwal was initially remanded to ED custody until March 28 by Judge Baweja. Upon the conclusion of the ED’s custody period, including extensions, Kejriwal was subsequently transferred to judicial custody.
Earlier, the court had denied Kejriwal’s plea to have five meetings with his legal team in Tihar Jail instead of the permitted two meetings. Subsequently, on April 1, when Kejriwal was remanded to judicial custody, the Court granted him permission to carry books and receive home-cooked meals, among other facilities.
