New Delhi: From sweeping his cell to watching the news and Bollywood films, and taking the occasional stroll in the courtyard — this is how Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, lodged in Tihar’s jail number 2, has been spending his time, ThePrint has learnt.
Kejriwal was arrested on 21 March in connection with the Delhi excise policy case after hours of questioning at his residence. On 1 April, a special court sent him to judicial custody till April 15, and he was lodged in ward No 4 as the sole inmate.
“He seems dazed, (and) a little confused. He is still trying to adjust to his surroundings inside the prison,” a prison source said. “He wakes up early, sweeps his cell which also has an extension area, where a television set has been mounted on a wall, and then does yoga. He takes two slices of bread and tea for breakfast and then walks around the area,” the source added.
He doesn’t have a chair or a stool to watch television and so he stands while surfing channels. “Sometimes he just sits on the bed looking at the surroundings and other times he picks up a book to read,” the source said.
Prison officials said he was allowed to carry several books — including the Ramayana, Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita, and How Prime Ministers Decide by Neerja Chowdhury — along with a religious locket. He has also been allowed home-cooked food.
The Delhi CM’s weight, blood pressure, and sugar are monitored twice a day by senior resident doctors. Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had claimed that Kejriwal lost 4.5 kg since his arrest on 21 March.
“He is totally fine. His BP is fine, his sugar is under control and his weight is 65 kg, which is static. His weight hasn’t dropped,” a prison official said.
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‘Security rotated on a regular basis’
While Kejriwal can step outside his cell for walks, he cannot talk to other inmates because of security reasons, the source said. As a result, the area in the courtyard containing other cells is cleared up whenever he steps out.
Moreover, four personnel from Tihar’s security — two in civil clothes and two in uniform — are around him whenever he goes for a walk.
“This is done to ensure his security. All other inmates are asked to return to their cells. Our personnel are also with him when he steps out to ensure there is no attack on him,” the source said.
In addition, the Tihar jail administration has also ensured that the security personnel with him are rotated regularly “to prevent the same people from getting too close to him, ensuring that there is no misuse”, the source said.
“He hasn’t spoken to any of the inmates or demanded anything since he has arrived. He keeps to himself,” this source said.
When asked if Kejriwal, who hasn’t resigned as Delhi CM, will be allowed to peruse official files inside the prison, a second prison source said that unless specific directions from the court are given, no files are allowed inside the prison except jail documents.
“Government files cannot be sent inside to Kejriwal for his signatures unless specific permission for the same is taken from the court,” the source said.
There’s also a limit to the number of people he can meet or speak to. Kejriwal can submit a list of 10 people he wants to meet.
Two people are allowed to meet him for 30 minutes twice a week, the official quoted above said.
For this, Kejriwal has submitted five names — son Pulkit, daughter Harishita, wife Sunita, his personal secretary and AAP leader Surgesh Pathak.
The jail compound where Kejriwal is lodged also houses prisoners such as underworld don Chhota Rajan and gangster Neeraj Bawana but they are confined to a building called the high-risk cell and do not get to meet or interact with other prisoners.
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