Rouse Avenue Court on Saturday permitted Sunita Kejriwal, wife of jailed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, to access his medical records and permitted her to independently consult with the medical board or doctors on his behalf.
However, the court rejected Kejriwal’s application requesting that prison authorities allow Sunita Kejriwal to be his attendant during consultations with doctors.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja noted that Kejriwal had not been admitted to a hospital. According to Delhi Prison Rules, a family member may be permitted as an attendant with an undertrial prisoner by the jail superintendent in consultation with the medical officer in charge only when the prisoner is admitted to the hospital.
The court stated, “This court sees no reason to carve out an exception for the applicant (Kejriwal) by going against the prison rules, particularly given the submission of the jail authorities that several other inmates undergoing treatment for the same ailment as the applicant have not been permitted to have an attendant.”
Regarding Kejriwal’s wife’s access to his medical records, the court noted that the prison authorities had no objections. During the proceedings, the chief minister agreed that his medical records were being “duly shared” by the relevant authorities.
The court also mentioned that Kejriwal’s family members had been providing him with home-cooked food in line with the diet prescribed by the AIIMS medical board.
The court ruled, “Accordingly, insofar as the applicant’s request for providing his medical records of meetings/consultations with doctors to his wife is concerned, it is allowed, and the jail authorities are directed to provide the medical records of the applicant.”
Regarding Kejriwal’s request for his wife to independently consult and seek advice from the medical board or doctors, the court acknowledged that this was necessary to ensure his prescribed diet was prepared correctly. It was submitted that Kejriwal’s wife might have queries about the preparation method of the diet as recommended by the medical board.
The court found these submissions justified and directed that, in the case of such queries, Kejriwal’s wife may independently approach the concerned medical board or doctors. They may then hold a meeting or consultation with her to discuss the preparation of the medically prescribed diet for the applicant, provided this is permitted under hospital rules.
