Supreme Court Grants Bail to Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal in Graft Case

India's Supreme Court granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a graft case, allowing his release almost six months after his arrest. Kejriwal's release is expected to boost the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as he campaigns in upcoming elections. The judgment sparked debates on the timing and motivations of the arrest.

India's Supreme Court has granted bail to opposition leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a graft case, paving the way for his release almost six months after his arrest. Kejriwal's release is anticipated to boost the morale of his decade-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as he prepares to campaign in regional elections next month in Haryana, and in Delhi early next year.

Kejriwal was initially taken into custody in March by India's financial crime-fighting agency in relation to alleged irregularities in the capital city's liquor policy, just weeks before the national elections. Despite being granted bail in that case in July, he remained detained due to his prior arrest by the federal police in a related graft case.

Both Kejriwal and AAP deny the allegations, labeling them as 'politically motivated'. Justice Surya Kant emphasized that 'liberty' and 'prolonged incarceration' could not be justified in ordering Kejriwal's release. The two-judge bench was divided, with Justice Ujjal Bhuyan highlighting concerns over the timing of the arrest, questioning its legality.

Opposition parties, supported by several international voices, have argued that Kejriwal's arrest was an attempt by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to hinder their chances in the polls. However, both Modi and BJP deny these charges. The BJP stated that while bail had been granted, it did not equate to innocence.

(With inputs from agencies.)