DELHI (TDI): India’s Supreme Court has granted bail to Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi and a prominent political rival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Kejriwal, who has been imprisoned for several months, faces allegations that his party accepted bribes in exchange for liquor licenses.
A two-judge bench ruled that while Kejriwal’s arrest was lawful, he should be released pending his defense against the charges. Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant stated, “Prolonged incarceration amounts to unjust deprivation of liberty.”
Why Kejriwal’s Arrested
Arvind Kejriwal was first detained in March by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), a central agency tasked with combating financial crimes. The ED accused Kejriwal’s party, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), of receiving 1 billion rupees ($11.9 million, €11.05 million) in bribes related to a 2021 liquor sale policy.
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Although Kejriwal was granted bail in July in the ED case, he remained in custody due to a separate graft case linked to the same policy, pursued by federal police.
Kejriwal and the AAP have consistently denied the charges, labeling the arrests as politically motivated. This development has sparked widespread speculation, particularly as it occurred just weeks before national elections in India.
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The Modi government has dismissed these claims as unfounded. The arrest also prompted international backlash, with Delhi summoning German and US diplomats over their remarks. Additionally, other opposition figures have faced corruption allegations, which they argue are attempts to undermine potential challengers to Modi.
Kejriwal, who founded the AAP with a mission to eradicate political corruption, has served as Delhi’s Chief Minister for over a decade.
The AAP hailed the Supreme Court’s decision calling it a “victory of truth.”
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