Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Friday was granted temporary bail by the Supreme Court of India in a graft case, allowing him to conduct his election campaign in the ongoing general elections in the country.
The move by India’s top court has boosted the country’s opposition alliance in which Kejriwal remains one of the top leaders.
In the seven-phase polls in the South Asian country, the elections have been marred by charges alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration in the Centre is using investigating agencies to hurt his party’s rivals — an accusation that his government has denied.
The Enforcement Directorate, India’s financial crime-fighting agency, arrested Kejriwal — a staunch critic of Modi and a key opposition leader — on March 21 in connection with corruption allegations related to the capital territory’s liquor policy.
Kejriwal’s government and his Aam Aadmi Party have denied the corruption allegations. Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party say that the investigating agencies are only doing their job and the government is not influencing them.
Kejriwal has been in pre-trial detention since April 1, and his wife Sunita has stepped in to campaign for his decade-old party in his absence.
India began voting on April 19 and elections to more than half the total 543 seats were completed with the third phase on May 7. The national capital territory will vote on May 25.
Voting concludes on June 1 and counting is set for June 4.
