The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday countered the Tihar jail authorities’ claim of there being adequate medical facilities in the prison by sharing a letter by the Director General of Prisons to the All India Institute of Medical Science requesting a diabetologist for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

This comes as the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party chief, a diabetic, was deliberately eating sweets and mangoes to raise his blood sugar, which he could then cite to seek bail. The Aam Aadmi Party, on the other hand, has alleged a conspiracy to kill Kejriwal in jail by denying him insulin and other medicines for his diabetes.

On Friday, the central law enforcement agency had told the court that Tihar jail was well equipped to deal with Kejriwal’s dietary and medical requirements.

However, on Sunday, Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj shared the letter Tihar jail’s Director General Sanjay Baniwal had written to the All India Institute of Medical Science in Delhi on Saturday. Baniwal had requested for an endocrinologist or diabetologist for the chief minister.

“Till now the jail administration was saying that they have everything available,” Bharadwaj said. “There is a diabetes specialist doctor. Now the jail DG [director general] has written a letter to AIIMS yesterday and sought a diabetes specialist doctor. Arvind Kejriwal has been in jail for the last 20 days, so till now he was being monitored by a normal jail doctor.”

He also alleged that the prison authorities, under the direction of the central agency and the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre, are denying Kejriwal proper dosage of insulin.

“[Prime Minister] Narendra Modi and his government want Arvind Kejriwal’s sugar level to keep increasing,” he alleged. “The BJP central government wants that his kidneys, liver, heart and eyes get damaged due to high sugar and he dies.”

Soon after the press conference on Sunday, the jail administration said that a senior doctor from the All India Institute of Medical Science had been consulted via video conferencing, NDTV reported.

“After a detailed consultation, Arvind Kejriwal was assured that there was no serious concern and was advised to continue with the prescribed medicines, which will be evaluated and reviewed on a regular basis,” the jail administration said.

On Saturday, a medical status report submitted by the jail’s director general to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said that the chief minister’s blood sugar levels were “not alarming” and he did not require insulin, The Hindu reported.

“It is incorrect to state that he [Kejriwal] was denied insulin at any point of time during his treatment,” The Hindu quoted the report as saying. “Insulin may be provided as and when required and advised by a medicine specialist.”

Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 for his alleged role in the Delhi liquor policy case. On April 15, the court extended his judicial custody until April 23.

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