Kejriwal could ‘slip into coma’: Why AAP and Tihar jail authorities are at odds over Delhi CM’s health

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is at loggerheads with the Tihar jail authorities over the health of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. The ruling party in Delhi has flagged the leader’s weight loss and drop in sugar levels in prison, while the jail authorities claim the AAP convenor is fine.

A war of words has erupted between the AAP and prison authorities. The party had previously also raised concerns about the Delhi CM’s health.

What is going on? Let’s take a closer look.

AAP on Kejriwal’s health

Delhi minister Atishi on Sunday (July 14) alleged conspiracy to cause “permanent damage” to Kejriwal’s health.

She claimed the Delhi CM’s blood sugar level went below 50 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) five times after his arrest. Kejriwal is reportedly suffering from Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Addressing a press conference, Atishi also flagged an “unexplained” drop in Kejriwal’s weight.

On Saturday, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh had made similar claims. He alleged the Delhi CM had lost 8.5 kg in prison, saying it could be a sign of “serious” illness. He said Kejriwal weighed 70 kg at the time of his arrest, which has dropped to 61.5 kg.

Singh also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of conspiring to keep Kejriwal in prison and “play” with his “health”.

The Delhi CM was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in an alleged money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped liquor policy of the Kejriwal government. He has been in Tihar prison since April 1.

Kejriwal was briefly released from prison for Lok Sabha election campaigning in May, before returning to Tihar jail on June 2.

While the Supreme Court has granted him interim bail in the ED case, the Delhi CM remains behind bars in a corruption case related to the alleged liquor policy scam investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Tihar jail authorities react

The Tihar jail administration has rejected the AAP’s claims of Kejriwal’s weight reducing by over eight kg in prison.

Sources in the administration said on Monday (July 15) that the Delhi CM had only lost 2 kg and his blood pressure and sugar levels were being regularly monitored by a medical board of AIIMS, reported PTI.

In a letter to the Delhi government’s Home Department, the Tihar Jail superintendent said said Kejriwal weighed 65 kg on April 1, when he was shifted to the prison. At the time of his bail on May 10 for election campaigning, his weight was 64 kg, as per the NDTV report.

When he surrendered on June 2, Kejriwal’s weight was 63.5 kg and it was currently 61.5 kg, the report added.

“As per the report of the Senior Medical Officer, the loss of weight may be due to consumption of less quantity of food or low calorie intake,” the letter read.

The jail superintendent also mentioned that Kejriwal is being given home-cooked food thrice a day.

“Despite a slight weight loss, his vitals remain normal, and he receives appropriate medical care for all his ailments”, the jail authorities said, as per India Today.

The letter said that at present, Kejriwal’s “blood sugar is being monitored as advised from the medical board and he is being provided treatment and diet as advised from the medical board, his vitals are within normal limits at present."

According to the jail authorities, the Delhi CM is “under continuous monitoring” and his vitals are being checked daily.

Terming the AAP’s claims as “baseless allegations”, they said, “Such a narrative, confuses and misleads the public with false information and ulterior motives with intent to brow-beat the Prison administration.”

‘Could silp into coma’

AAP’s Sanjay Singh has hit out at the Tihar prison administartion for releasing the medical report of an inmate to media, calling it a “crime”.

On Monday, he said that the report provided by jail authorities confirms Kejriwal’s blood sugar levels had dropped several times. “If sugar levels are low, one may slip into coma in sleep. There is also the risk of a brain stroke,” Singh warned.

VIDEO | “It’s a crime to leak someone’s medical report. Investigation should be done against it. However, in the report, it is mentioned that he (Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal) has lost weight and his sugar level has gone down below 50. This report has been issued by AIIMS doctors.… pic.twitter.com/7DiHxNrWuI

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 15, 2024

He reiterated the conspiracy claim to attack the BJP. “The day he (Kejriwal) was arrested, his weight was 70 kg, which has now come down to 61.5 kg. I urge PM Modi to not play with Kejriwal’s life because if something untoward happens, it will be difficult for the Centre to find an answer”, he was quoted as saying by India Today.

The BJP has lambasted the AAP over the charges. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva accused Kejriwal’s party of doing a “drama” to “mislead” the court so the Delhi CM gets bail.

This is not the first time that the AAP has expressed worries about Kejriwal’s health. In April, the AAP alleged the Delhi CM had lost 4.5 kg since he was arrested by the ED on March 21. Atishi claimed his sugar levels dropped thrice in ED custody, even reaching “46 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) at one point, which can be deadly for any person”.

The Tihar jail officials had denied AAP’s claims, saying his weight remained “unchanged” at 65 kg when he was brought to the prison. His sugar levels fell on April 2 but he was provided medicines to control his blood sugar level. He was given a sugar sensor to monitor his sugar levels, along with toffees to prevent any drop, the jail authorities said at the time.

With inputs from agencies