India's Supreme Court has granted interim bail to a top opposition leader who was arrested nearly seven weeks ago in a bribery case that has been viewed as a political move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government against his rivals during a national election.
The leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, Arvind Kejriwal, who serves as the chief elected official in New Delhi, was released on interim bail to enable him to campaign in the national election until voting ends on June 1.
Kejriwal was arrested by the federal Enforcement Directorate on March 21, accused of accepting bribes from liquor contractors. His party, the Aam Aadmi Party, is part of a broad alliance of opposition parties challenging Modi's governing Bharatiya Janata Party in the ongoing general election.
Kejriwal's arrest, which occurred before the start of the Indian election, marked the first time a chief minister in India was arrested while in office. His lawyer argued that as a serving chief minister, Kejriwal deserved to be released to campaign.
The Enforcement Directorate opposed his bail, stating that the right to campaign for an election is not a fundamental, constitutional, or legal right. The agency accused Kejriwal of being a key conspirator in the bribery case.
Opposition parties have criticized the government for allegedly misusing federal investigation agencies to target political opponents. Kejriwal has called his arrest a political conspiracy to hinder his campaign efforts.
Kejriwal, a former civil servant, founded the Aam Aadmi Party in 2012 with a promise to combat corruption and inefficiency in Indian governance. The party's symbol, a broom, symbolizes its commitment to sweeping out corruption from the administration.
The national elections, which began on April 19, are set to conclude on June 1, with votes being counted on June 4. Kejriwal's party is a significant challenger to Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi and Punjab state.
