Arvind Kejriwal Plans Weekly Ministerial Meetings In Tihar Jail — DG Prisons Weighs In On Legality

Amid claims by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will run the government from Tihar Jail, the facility's top official clarified the rules governing inmate activities.

Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on 21 March and is currently lodged in Tihar jail. 

Sanjay Baniwal, Director General (Prisons), stated on Monday that an inmate can only sign two types of documents—legal papers and complaints—which must not be political in nature.

This comes after AAP announced that Kejriwal will call two ministers to jail each week and review the progress of the work in their departments.

AAP's announcement came after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and party's Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak met Kejriwal in the prison on Monday.

They claimed that Kejriwal was not being afforded the amenities provided to other inmates.

Baniwal emphasised that all inmates are treated equally, regardless of their charges.

"There is no distinction between a hardcore or a normal criminal," he explained, asserting that it is his duty to ensure that each inmate's basic rights are maintained.

"In the jail, manual which is passed by the government of Delhi, there is no distinction between the inmates. Every inmate has certain basic rights, which is my duty to ensure and they are being ensured to every one," he said.

AAP MP Pathak, at a press conference, conveyed the chief minister's plan of action for reviewing the functioning of various departments in the coming days.

"From next week, the chief minister will call two ministers to jail every week and there he will review the work of their departments and give them guidelines and directions," he said.

"We will undertake whatever legal process are needed (to make this happen). From next week, when the ministers meet, the government will start functioning from jail in a proper format," Pathak said.

In his response to a question on Pathak's statement, DG (Prisons) Baniwal "Only two things the person is allowed to sign -- one is his legal papers or a complaint but those should be non-political in nature or about his situation, or letters to family members or property papers", PTI reported.

Also Read: India Has Showcased Itself As A Global Leader During The Past Year: US