“Inmates Can’t…”: Official On Row Over Arvind Kejriwal’s Orders From Jail

With AAP maintaining Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is running his government from Tihar jail, top prison official Sanjay Baniwal Monday said an inmate can only sign two kinds of documents while in judicial custody and they should not be political in nature.

In an interaction with PTI editors at the agency’s headquarters in Delhi, Director General (Prisons) Mr Baniwal also said no distinction is made in the treatment meted out to the inmates and it is ensured they get the same basic right.

Earlier in the day, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met Mr Kejriwal in the jail and alleged he was not even getting the amenities a hardcore criminal is allowed in Tihar.

Mr Baniwal dismissed suggestions the Delhi chief minister was being treated differently by the jail authorities.

“There is no distinction between a hardcore or a normal criminal. 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.

Mr Kejriwal is also planning to call his two ministers for a meeting starting next week to review the work being done by their departments. The AAP has said he will issue them directions and orders.

In his response to a question on this, Mr Baniwal said, “Only two things the person is allowed to sign — one is his legal papers and then a complaint. But (they should be) non-political in nature.”