Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was administered a "low dose" of insulin after his blood sugar level spiked, officials of Delhi's Tihar jail said on Tuesday amid row over the jailed CM's health.
Calling the allegations "baseless", the top Tihar official has stated that the jail has thousands of diabetics who receive their medication on time and based on the advice of senior doctors.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was administered a "low dose" of insulin after his blood sugar level spiked, officials of Delhi's Tihar jail said on Tuesday amid row over the jailed CM's health.
"Kejriwal was given two units of low dose insulin on Monday evening on the advice of AIIMS doctors", a Tihar official said, adding that his blood sugar level reading was found to be 217 around 7 pm, following which the doctors at Tihar looking after him decided to give him the insulin, the official said.
AIIMS specialists, during a video conference with the chief minister on April 20, had advised Tihar doctors that insulin could be given to him if his sugar level crosses a certain level, he added.
Tihar Jail's Director General Sanjay Beniwal, meanwhile, rubbished the claims made by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party. Calling the allegations "baseless", the top Tihar official has stated that the jail has thousands of diabetics who receive their medication on time.
Speaking to ANI, Beniwal stated that Tihar Jail has around 1,000 diabetics who are given food and medication based on the advice on senior doctors from AIIMS, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and more.
"I am managing between 900-1000 patients every day out of the inmate population. For me, these are not issues but if people raise it for political issues I do not enter into that," stated the DG.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has alleged that he has been deprived of insulin since his arrest on March 21. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March in connection with the Delhi Liquor Policy scam case.
The top Tihar official also elaborated on the process the jail takes when someone's illness is serious. As stated by Beniwal, the jail takes "advice from a referral hospital." Some of the referral hospitals are the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences and the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
"This is a normal process for all prisoners. There is no A B C D category for any particular prisoner," the DG added further.
After his arrest, Kejriwal has alleged that his glucose levels have reached a "dangerous range'. The Delhi CM has further alleged that the jail administration is lying about the status of his health due to "political pressure".
As per the latest update, the Delhi CM has been given insulin after his sugar levels touched 320. AAP officials have confirmed this as the first dose of insulin given to the Delhi CM after his arrest.
"Finally, the BJP and its jail administration came to their senses and gave INSULIN to CM Kejriwal in jail. CM Kejriwal's sugar level had reached 320. This has been possible only due to the blessings of Lord Hanuman and the struggle of the people of Delhi. We have succeeded in delivering insulin to our Chief Minister,” the party posted on X.
AAP has also alleged that Kejriwal has lost a significant amount of weight during his time in Tihar. In response to this, the top Tihar official stated that he is "living like every other inmate".