Arvind Kejriwal provided copy of jail manual at his request

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is lodged in Tihar jail in connection with a laundering case, was provided a copy of the prison manual after he asked for it, sources said on Wednesday.

Confirming this, a Tihar jail official said an inmate can read any book available in the prison library.

Kejriwal has been lodged in Tihar's jail number 2 since April 1 after he was sent to judicial custody for 14 days by court.

After he was sent to jail, Kejriwal had asked the prison authorities for three books -- Ramayana, Mahabharata, and "How Prime Ministers Decide".

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court dismissed the chief minister's plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy, saying there was no contravention of legal provisions.

According to the sources, Kejriwal and other AAP leaders lodged in Tihar jail have also been provided mosquito nets in their cells.

An official said as per provisions, inmates can be provided mosquito nets in their cells.

AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain are lodged in Tihar jail numbers 1 and 7, respectively. While Sisodia was arrested in connection with the excise policy case, Jain was arrested in another money laundering case by the ED.

Kejriwal is often seen reading books and writing while sitting on a chair in his cell. He also reads the prison manual in his cell, the sources said.

The chief minister has been provided a TV with 20 channels in his cell but is not fond of it. He spends most of his time reading and doing meditation and yoga, an official source said.

With two CCTV cameras installed in Kejriwal's cell, the jail officials can keep a watch on him round the clock. A small space outside his cell, called a lobby, is where he can stretch and walk, according to sources.

The ED has accused Kejriwal of being involved in the "entire conspiracy of Delhi liquor scam, in drafting and implementation of the policy, for favouring and benefiting the quid pro receiving kickbacks and eventually using part of proceeds of crime generated out of the scheduled offence in the election campaign for Goa Assembly elections".