'Am I a gangster?': Arvind Kejriwal claims only 3 mangoes in 48 meals sent by family; slams ED's 'media trial'
A day after ED claimed before a Delhi court that Arvind Kejriwal is eating foods high in sugar like mangoes and sweets every day despite having type 2 diabetes to create grounds for medical bail, the Delhi CM responded to the charges levied against him with a series of questions.
FollowDelhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal finds himself embroiled in a legal battle with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as he confronts allegations related to an excise scam case. However, amidst the courtroom drama and accusations, Kejriwal is not backing down, asserting his rights and challenging the narrative put forth by the ED.
A day after ED claimed before a Delhi court that Kejriwal is eating foods high in sugar like mangoes and sweets every day despite having type 2 diabetes to create grounds for medical bail, the CM responded to the charges levied against him with a series of questions.
"Do I not have the right to a dignified life in jail? Am I a gangster?" he questioned, challenging the treatment he has been subjected to while in custody. Moreover, Kejriwal's pointed remark, "Aam nahi khaunga, kya Mushroom khaunga?" (If not mangoes, should I eat mushrooms?), highlights his frustration with the constraints imposed on his dietary choices.
In his counter against the ED, Kejriwal also claimed, " There were only 3 mangoes in 48 meals sent by my family." He further accused the ED for carrying out a 'media trial'.
On Thursday, the ED presented its assertion before the specialized judge overseeing CBI and ED cases, Judge Kaveri Baweja. In response, Judge Baweja instructed the Tihar jail authorities to compile a comprehensive report on the matter, which includes detailing Arvind Kejriwal's dietary regimen.
The ED alleged that Kejriwal's consumption of certain foods was a deliberate ploy aimed at securing bail on medical grounds or orchestrating a transfer to a hospital.
"Kejriwal is consciously consuming items like tea with sugar, mango, banana, sweets (1 or 2 pieces), poori, aaloo sabji, etc. on regular basis, despite being a patient of diabetes mellitus type 2 and knowing very well that consumption of such items results in increase in blood sugar. This is being done to create a medical emergency to obtain sympathetic treatment from the court of law on medical grounds,” the ED told the court.
In the meantime, Kejriwal opted to withdraw his petition from the court, which had requested virtual consultations with his physician three times a week to monitor his blood sugar levels and other vital signs. He cited the fluctuating nature of his sugar levels as the reason for this decision.
Both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have leveled allegations of irregularities in the modification of the Delhi Excise Policy 2020-21. They assert that undue favors were granted to license holders, including waivers or reductions in license fees, and extensions of licenses without proper authorization from the competent authority.
Furthermore, it is alleged that the beneficiaries of these actions diverted the resulting "illegal" gains to implicated officials. To cover their tracks, they purportedly resorted to falsifying entries in their financial records, aiming to evade detection and accountability for their actions.
