India’s Supreme Court has granted interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal, a top opposition leader and the chief official of New Delhi who was arrested in a bribery case during the national election. Kejriwal will be able to campaign until June 1 under bail conditions set by the court. Opposition leaders welcomed the verdict, while a ruling party leader mentioned that legal proceedings against Kejriwal are ongoing and he will have to return to jail on June 2 despite the interim bail.
The court’s decision to grant interim bail to Kejriwal was welcomed by opposition leaders, including Mamta Banerjee, the top elected official of West Bengal state. However, a leader of the ruling party mentioned that Kejriwal has not been exonerated in the bribery case and will have to return to jail after June 1. The court justified its decision by stating that the national election is an important event and rejected the prosecuting agency’s argument that it would put Kejriwal in a beneficial position compared to ordinary citizens. Despite the bail, certain conditions have been imposed on Kejriwal, such as not visiting his office and needing approval from the governor for some decisions.
Kejriwal’s arrest on bribery charges during the election campaign sparked protests and controversy. He was accused by the Enforcement Directorate, controlled by Modi’s government, of accepting bribes from liquor contractors. Kejriwal denied the accusations and his party is part of a broad opposition alliance challenging Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party in the general election. The arrest, which occurred just before the start of the election, marked the first time a chief minister in India was arrested while in office and garnered significant attention in the media.
Opposition parties have accused the government of misusing federal investigation agencies to target political opponents, citing a series of raids and arrests of key opposition figures. Kejriwal described his arrest as a political conspiracy to hinder his campaign and criticized the Enforcement Directorate for manipulating investigative agencies for political purposes. Modi’s party has denied using law enforcement agencies against the opposition and maintains that the agencies operate independently.
Kejriwal, a former civil servant, founded the Aam Aadmi Party in 2012 with the promise of eradicating corruption and inefficiency in Indian politics and governance. The party gained popularity in Delhi due to its anti-corruption stance and promises to clean up the administration using a broom as its symbol. Despite the legal challenges and arrests, Kejriwal remains a key figure in Indian politics, leading a strong opposition to Modi’s government in the ongoing national election. The election, which began in April and is set to conclude on June 1, will determine the future direction of Indian politics and governance.
