AAP MP Sanjay Singh’s ‘question of life or death’ claim after Tihar jail report over Arvind Kejriwal’s insulin

Sanjay Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party has alleged that a conspiracy is being hatched to kill Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is lodged in Tihar jail after being arrested in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy. Sanjay Singh claimed that Arvind Kejriwal, who is diabetic, is not being provided with insulin inside the jail.

“Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is not being given insulin. If a patient with diabetes is not given insulin on time, for that person, it becomes a question of life or death. A conspiracy is being hatched to kill him (Arvind Kejriwal). The people of Delhi will give a reply to this crime,” Sanjay Singh told reporters on Friday.

“The person who provided electricity, water, and other facilities to the citizens of Delhi… Kejriwal who arranged free medicines for the people… you see, today there is such a cruel government in the country that is not arranging medicines for Kejriwal ji and insulin,” news agency ANI quoted Sanjay Singh as saying.

The AAP MP’s allegation comes after Tihar prison authorities submitted a report to Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena saying Arvind Kejriwal did not require insulin to be administered as his blood sugar levels were “not alarming”.

The report, a copy of which HT has seen, also said Arvind Kejriwal was not on insulin when he was arrested and brought to the jail, adding that he had stopped taking insulin shots months before his arrest on March 21. The AAP has been alleging that Arvind Kejriwal was being denied insulin in jail which could prove detrimental to the chief minister’s health.

The report, submitted by the Tihar director general on Friday, said that the chief minister’s health was reviewed on April 10 and April 15 by a medicine specialist who advised oral anti-diabetic drugs and it is “incorrect to state that Kejriwal was denied insulin at any point of time” during his treatment.

It said that there is adequate availability of insulin in the jail dispensary and it can be administered to Kejriwal “as and when required”, officials said.

Earlier on Saturday, AAP leaders held a ‘Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se Sankalp Sabha’ in Sarojini Nagar area as a mark of their protest against the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal.

The Rouse Avenue court in Delhi witnessed high drama after the Enforcement Directorate claimed Arvind Kejriwal was indulging in mangoes and consuming sugary tea in a deliberate attempt to obtain sympathy from the court for bail. The Delhi chief minister refuted the claims.

On Thursday, VK Saxena asked the DG, prisons, to submit a “factual and comprehensive report” to him about Arvind Kejriwal’s health and medical records within 24 hours. In a post on social media website X, the L-G said though “prisons” were a state government subject, no laxity would be tolerated regarding the CM’s health. Kejriwal was sent from the ED’s custody to judicial custody in Tihar jail on April 1.

What did the Tihar jail report claim?

The report said Arvind Kejriwal was examined in custody on April 1, and he reported a history of diabetes as well as chronic asthma and constipation.

The CM also mentioned that he was under diabetes-reversal treatment by a doctor based in Telangana, it said.

“On a subsequent visit to OPD on April 2, 2024, he gave an alleged history of type-II diabetes Mellitus on regular treatment for last few years (no document available) and an alleged history of chronic bronchitis/asthma (no document available). As per inmate [Kejriwal], he gave a history that he was taking insulin till the last few years and stopped… few months back allegedly by the Telangana doctor. Inmate recently complained of a spike in blood sugar for which he was started oral medicine… by doctor at ED… Initially, he was on oral medicine tablet Metformin only,” the report said.

It further said before being taken into custody, the chief minister was taking an anti-diabetic medicine alongside being treated for chronic constipation as prescribed by doctors from the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi.
The report added that the Telangana doctor had stopped the insulin much before the CM’s arrest and the MLC report from RML indicated Kejriwal was not advised insulin.