• Source:JND
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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had stopped taking insulin months before his arrest and is on a basic anti-diabetes oral medicine, reports news agency PTI, citing officials quoting a report by the Tihar jail administration to Lt Governor VK Saxena. In response, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi said that the report has "exposed" the conspiracy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"At the behest of the BJP, a conspiracy is underway to kill Kejriwal in jail. The chief minister has been taking insulin for 12 years, what is the problem for the Tihar administration to give insulin to him?," she asked.

Atishi also claimed that Kejriwal used to take 50 units of insulin daily before he was sent to jail. The officials citing the Tihar report said that Kejriwal, who is under the care of a Telangana-based private doctor for diabetes-stopped taking insulin a few months ago, and, at the time of his arrest, he was on a basic anti-diabetes oral tablet called Metformin.

Kejriwal, during his medical check-ups in Tihar jail, told doctors that he was taking insulin "since the last few years and stopped taking it a few months back", the report said.

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money-laundering case linked to the Delhi government's now-scrapped excise policy. He has been lodged in Tihar jail since April 1. According to the medical records from RML Hospital, Kejriwal was "neither advised any insulin nor any requirement of any insulin was indicated", the Tihar report said, adding that the chief minister's health was reviewed by a medicine specialist on April 10 and April 15. The specialist advised oral anti-diabetic drugs, and it is "incorrect to state that Kejriwal was denied insulin at any point in time" during his treatment, it said.

After examining, the medical specialist noted, "Considering all parameters and vitals of the undertrial prisoner (Kejriwal) since his lodgment in judicial custody, his blood sugar levels are not alarming, and administration of insulin is not required as of now."

The Tihar administration, in a letter to AIIMS seeking a diet plan for the AAP chief, said Kejriwal had been consuming high-sugar foods such as "sweets, laddoos, bananas, mangoes, fruit chaat, fried food, namkeen, bhujia, sweetened tea, poori-aloo, pickles and other high cholesterol food on a regular basis", the report said. The diet plan provided by AIIMS has "strictly prohibited" most of the food items he is eating, it added.

AAP Chief Kejriwal is only allowed to consume 20 ml of oil per day in his food. The Tihar administration has said that, according to a government circular, no referral can be made to any private hospital, as is being demanded by Kejriwal for videoconferencing with his doctor.

According to the officials, the administration submitted in its report that there is adequate availability of insulin in the jail dispensary and that it can be administered to Kejriwal "as and when required". 

(With input from agencies)