Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s letter to Lt Governor V.K. Saxena was an ‘abuse of privileges’ granted to him under the Delhi Prison Rules, the Tihar Jail authorities have said.
Kejriwal, who has been lodged in Tihar after being arrested by the CBI in the Delhi excise policy scam case, had sent a letter to the L-G last week, saying cabinet minister Atishi would hoist the Tricolour on Independence Day.
"From a bare reading of the above rules, it is clear that your communication does not qualify in the permissible communication which can be sent outside the prison. Only private correspondence with a designated set of people, as defined above, is permissible. Therefore, your letter dated 06.08.2024 has not been sent to the addressee but has been filed,” said the superintendent of Tihar's jail number 2 in a letter to the chief minister.
The rights and privileges of undertrials are limited by the legal provisions of the Delhi Prison Rules, it said.
The jail superintendent noted that the contents of the letter sent by Kejriwal on August 6 were leaked to the media without permission and it amounts to the “abuse of privileges” granted to the chief minister.
The letter warned Kejriwal against doing any such “impermissible activity” failing which his privileges would be curtailed.
What the Delhi Prison Rule says
Rule 588 states that the contents of all letters written by prisoners shall be limited to private matters.
Rule 620 (I) provides that prisoners might be allowed to write only to their family members, relatives and close friends.
Rule 620 (vii) provides that no letter shall be delivered to, or sent by a prisoner until the superintendent has satisfied himself that its transmission is not objectionable.
The jail authorities have informed Kejriwal that his letter was not sent to the addressee. The LG office also maintained that they did not receive any communication from the chief minister.
Meanwhile, Delhi minister Gopal Rai said Atishi would hoist the national flag on the Independence Day and directed the General Administration Department to make all arrangements.
Rai gave the directions after his meeting with Kejriwal in jail.
