NEW DELHI: Incarcerated Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday got no interim relief from the Supreme Court on his plea challenging his arrest in the Delhi excise policy scam. A two-judge bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna merely issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate to file its reply on the CM’s plea by April 24.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, told the court that the ED hadn’t named the CM in its chargesheet, adding the objective was disable him from campaigning in the Lok Sabha elections. But the bench refused to yield. Later, a city court extended Kejriwal’s judicial custody in Tihar jail till April 23.
At Tihar, Director General (Prisons) Sanjay Baniwal said Kejriwal can only sign two types of documents while in judicial custody, and they can’t be political in nature.
“He or any inmate in judicial custody can only sign two types of documents, which can’t be political in nature,” Baniwal told this newspaper over phone. The two types of documents can be either a legal paper or some property related document, he added. His remarks came after AAP leaders reiterated that CM will continue to run the government from jail, and from next week he will call two ministers to Tihar every week and review their work.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused Tihar officials of giving Kejriwal a terrorist-like treatment. “Kejriwal is given terrorist-like treatment in jail... There was a glass wall between me and him when we met today,” Mann said. But Tihar officials rebutted it, saying “There is no distinction between a hardcore or a normal criminal.”
Can write to family, friends
As per the jail manual, undertrial 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 counsel handling their cases.” If it is found that the prisoner is corresponding with undesirable persons, such letters, both incoming and outgoing, shall be withheld,” the jail manual says