Delhi Court Dismisses Kejriwal's Plea Seeking To Increase Legal Meetings In Tihar Jail From 2 To 5 Times A Week

A Delhi Court dismissed chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea seeking to increase his legal meetings in Tihar Jail from twice to five times a week on Wednesday.

Rouse Avenue Court rejected the Aam Aadmi Party national convenor’s plea, which he filed before it on April 4. In his plea, he had stated that he is facing multiple FIRs in various states, requiring a significant amount of legal work.

Kejriwal had argued that the number of meetings should be increased to accommodate this workload. The court had sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Tihar jail authorities regarding this matter.

Earlier today, the jail authorities told Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP leader Sanjay Singh that they wouldn’t be able to meet Kejriwal. Citing security reasons, the officials said they will allot a new date for the meeting.

Last week, the jail authorities had told Mann that he can meet the Delhi CM, but only as a regular visitor in the ‘mulaqat jangla’.

The ‘mulakat jangla’ is a room inside the jail with an iron mesh that separates the inmate from the visitor. By sitting on different sides of the mesh, a visitor and an inmate can talk to each other.

Citing sources, news agency PTI reported that Kejriwal’s wife Sunita and personal secretary Bibhav Kumar met with him inside jail on Tuesday. They said that this was Delhi CM’s first in-person meeting with them since he was sent to judicial custody on April 1.

According to the jail manual, an inmate can meet physically or through video conference visitors twice a week. He has to give the names of such visitors prior to the meeting.

Lodged in jail number 2, Kejriwal has listed five names, including his wife, children, personal secretary and AAP MP Sandeep Pathak, whom he can meet in jail. As per jail protocol, he will have to add Mann’s name to the list.

Meanwhile, the Delhi CM approached the Supreme Court challenging the High Court’s order rejecting his plea against his arrest and the Enforcement Directorate remand in the excise policy case.

Kejriwal was arrested by the central probe agency on March 21 and is in judicial custody till April 15. The ED had told a court that the AAP chief is the “kingpin” and “key conspirator” in the liquor scam.