India: Top Court Grants Bail to Key Modi Rival

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Facts

  • Amid India's ongoing general election, the country's Supreme Court on Friday granted bail until June 1 to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, a key rival to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was arrested in a corruption case in March.1
  • The court dismissed the opposition to his bail by India's Enforcement Directorate (ED), which had arrested him on corruption charges related to Delhi's liquor policy.2
  • The court ordered the former anti-corruption advocate to surrender days before the result of the Indian election is declared on June 4, allowing him to campaign until then.3
  • The court has questioned the timing of Kejriwal's arrest by the Modi government-controlled ED right before the election. Delhi votes on May 25.4
  • The ED, which has accused Kejriwal’s party and ministers of taking $12M in bribes, opposed his bail saying it sets different standards for politicians and others.5

Sources: 1Scroll.in, 2reuters.com, 3BBC News, 4Guardian and 5Al Jazeera.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by The Wire. Modi's government is using agencies to target opposition leaders and disrupt election campaigns. The government's coercive tactics suggest a power struggle to dominate the political landscape, prompting concerns over authoritarian tendencies and the need for public vigilance to safeguard democratic principles.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Firstpost. Claims of India turning into an autocracy are misleading. The judicial process is evidence-based, regardless of a person's public status. The opposition's support for Kejriwal, despite serious allegations against him, is merely a political strategy amid elections. Shun the victimhood narrative and focus on legal procedures.

Predictions