'AM I GOING TO RISK PARALYSIS TO GET BAIL?': KEJRIWAL RESPONDS TO ED'S 'HIGH-SUGAR FOOD' CHARGE, ACCUSES PROBE AGENCY OF BEING 'PETTY'

NEW DELHI: Arvind Kejriwal on Friday hit out at Enforcement Directorate for making an issue out of his jail diet and accused the probe agency of being "petty" and "politicising" the issue. The Delhi chief minister, who has been allowed to have food cooked at home in jail, asserted in court that his food was in conformity with the diet chart prepared by his doctor.

"ED claimed that I want to increase my blood sugar levels to get bail. Am I going to risk paralysis to get bail? Whatever food I have is as per the diet chart prepared by my doctor prior to arrest," senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, told the court.

The ED had on Thursday suggested in court that diabetic Kejriwal was eating high-sugar food like mangoes and sweets to prepare grounds for medical bail.

"The allegation is that I have been consuming mangoes ... Out of 48 meals sent from home, only three times mangoes were there. No mangoes have been sent after April 8. Mangoes have been made to look like sugar bullets. Their sugar level (glycemic index) is much less than brown rice or white rice," Singhvi told the court.

"I only use sugar free (an artificial sugar brand) in my tea. How petty, political and ridiculous ED can be? Their statements are completely false and malicious. Just because you have a lot of influence in the media you are able to publish that I am having aaloo puri even though this meal was sent only once during pooja," he told the court.

On Thursday, Aam Aadmi Party had alleged that ED's charge of Kejriwal eating high-sugar food was a ploy to stop home-cooked food for the Delhi chief minister. AAP leader Atishi accused BJP of using ED to harm Kejriwal in jail.

Kejriwal, who had on Thursday withdrawn a petition for consulting his doctor thrice a week for fluctuating sugar levels, moved a fresh plea on Friday seeking consultations with his physician for 15 minutes every day.

"Just because I am a prisoner do I have no right to a dignified life and good health? Am I a gangster that I cannot even be allowed to have 15 minutes VC (video conference) consultation with my doctor? We have had democracy for 75 years but I am seeing such an approach for the first time. Never seen such kind of pettiness," Singhvi said.

However, both the ED and the jail superintendent opposed Kejriwal's plea to consult his doctor who has been treating him for the last many years.

The ED opposed Singhvi's submissions, claiming the food Kejriwal was eating did not match the diet chart prescribed by his doctor. It said Tihar jail had sufficient medical facilities to take care of Kejriwal's diabetes.

Senior advocate Ramesh Gupta, who also appeared for Kejriwal, questioned ED's presence during the hearing.

"What has ED got to do with this hearing? He (ED) is not a party. It is between me and jail and court? They are having a media trial and press is publishing anything it wants," the counsel told the court.

The court reserved its order for Monday and directed Tihar jail authorities to file a reply, if required, by Saturday.