NEW DELHI: Director General (Prisons) Sanjay Baniwal on Monday clarified that incarcerated Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal can only sign two types of documents while in judicial custody and they can't be political in nature.
"Yes, he [Arvind Kejriwal] or any inmate in judicial custody can only sign two types of documents which can't be political in nature," Baniwal told TNIE over the phone. The two types of documents can only be either a legal paper or some property related document, the top prison official added.
The senior official's remarks came after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders again reiterated that Kejriwal will continue to run the government from jail and from next week onwards, he will call two ministers every week and review the progress of work in their departments.
AAP leader Dr. Sandeep Pathak indicated that Kejriwal would oversee departmental operations and provide guidance to ministers on work-related matters.
The top Tihar official also dismissed the allegations levelled by Punjab CM Mann about ill-treatment being meted out to Kejriwal. Mann had alleged that the Delhi CM was 'not getting the amenities hardcore criminals get.'
"There is no distinction between a hardcore or a normal criminal. In the jail manual, which is passed by the government of Delhi, there is no distinction between the inmates. Every inmate has certain basic rights, which is my duty to ensure and they are being ensured to every one," he said.|
Notably, as per the jail manual, under-trial and civil prisoners shall be granted all reasonable facilities to interview, or write letters only to their family members, friends and legal advisers.
"Prisoners should also be allowed to correspond with the counsels handling their cases. In case it is found that the prisoner is corresponding with undesirable persons or receiving letters from them or if any correspondence is found detrimental to the prisoner’s rehabilitation such letters, both incoming and outgoing, shall be withheld," an excerpt from the jail manual read.
The jail manual separately defines the communication of a prisoner who is a Member of the State Legislature or of Parliament. According to rule number 628, all communications addressed by a prisoner, who is a member of the State Legislature or of the Parliament, to the Speaker or Chairman of the House of which he is a member, or to the Chairman of Committee (including a Committee on Privileges) of such a House, or of a Joint Committee of both houses of the State Legislature, or of Parliament, shall be immediately forwarded by the Superintendent of Prison to the government to deal with it in accordance with the rights and privileges of the prisoner as a Member of the House to which he belongs.
