Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, has been taken into judicial custody until April 15 by a Delhi Court in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged excise policy scam. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had sought a 15-day judicial custody of Kejriwal, citing his "total uncooperativeness."
Prison sources told news agency ANI that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal will be lodged in Jail Number 2 of Tihar Jail. He will be alone in the jail, with AAP MP Sanjay Singh having been shifted to jail number 5 earlier.
Delhi Chief Minister's Jail Routine
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In Tihar Jail, all prisoners follow a routine. According to a report by NDTV, Kejriwal and other inmates will begin their day at sunrise, typically around 6:30 am during this time of the year, with a breakfast of tea and a few slices of bread.
Lunch will be served between 10:30 am and 11 am, consisting of dal, a sabzi, and either five rotis or rice. Between noon and 3 pm, prisoners will be confined to their cells.
At 3:30 pm, they will be provided with a cup of tea and two biscuits, and can meet their lawyers at 4 pm.
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An early dinner - the same as lunch - is at 5:30 pm, after which prisoners will be confined for the night by 7 pm. Medical assistance will be available 24/7, particularly for Kejriwal's diabetic condition, with regular check-ups scheduled during his imprisonment.
The Chief Minister, who has been operating Delhi’s government in the ED lock-up till now, can meet his family members twice a week. However, the names must be on a list cleared by prison security.
Kejriwal can watch television except at mealtimes and when he is locked up. 18 to 20 channels are allowed including news, sports, and entertainment.
What Is The ED Case In Which Delhi CM Has Been Arrested
Kejriwal has been arrested in connection with an ongoing liquor policy case, under which the ED has previously alleged that through the excise policy implemented by the Delhi Government in November 2021, the AAP was involved in money laundering.
The new policy reduced the legal drinking age to 21, replaced government-owned liquor stores with private entities, and implemented separate registration criteria for different liquor brands based on pricing and sales performance outside Delhi. Additionally, the annual liquor vending licence fee was increased significantly from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 75 lakh. The new policy also granted licences to 849 private vendors through competitive bidding.
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The policy was later scrapped after violations were reported.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleges that the excise policy was part of a conspiracy to provide a 12 per cent wholesale business profit to certain private companies and was a coordinated effort by Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Vijay Nair and others.
Two other AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh have previously been arrested in connection with this case. BRS Leader K Kavitha too has been accused of "conspiring" with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia to "get favours" in the Delhi excise policy formulation and implementation.
