Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of New Delhi and leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, has been granted bail by a court in the capital after being arrested in a bribery case in March. The arrest occurred just weeks before India's national election, where Kejriwal was a challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Modi secured a third consecutive term in June, despite his party losing its majority. Kejriwal's bail was reported by news website Live Law on Thursday, with expectations that he will be released once the bail bond is paid.
On March 21, Kejriwal was arrested by the federal Enforcement Directorate on accusations of his party and ministers accepting bribes from liquor contractors. Kejriwal has vehemently denied these allegations, labeling them as a political conspiracy.
Opposition parties have criticized Kejriwal's arrest as a political move by the Modi government to target a prominent opponent during the election. The arrest led to protests by party activists and other opposition groups.
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.
While the federal agency accuses Kejriwal of involvement in the bribery case, opposition parties have accused the government of misusing investigative agencies to undermine political rivals. Modi's government denies these allegations, asserting that law enforcement agencies operate independently.
Kejriwal's party is part of a coalition of opposition parties that challenged Modi's National Democratic Alliance during the recent election. Despite the outcome, Kejriwal's release on bail marks a significant development in the ongoing political landscape of India.
