The News
A prominent Indian opposition politician serving as the chief minister of the territory of Delhi was arrested Thursday on corruption allegations related to the capital city’s liquor policy.
The arrest of Arvind Kejriwal was seen as a setback for the country’s opposition less than a month before national elections are scheduled to begin in the world’s biggest democracy.
As chief minister, Kejriwal serves as the head of government for Delhi, home to more than 16 million people, including the country’s capital.
Kejriwal’s party is part of the opposition coalition to the India’s ruling Hindu nationalist government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
His party’s leadership sought to quash the charges and said Kejriwal would continue to run the government from jail, according to The Times of India.
India’s financial crime agency is looking into allegations that the territory’s liquor policy implemented in 2022, which has since been withdrawn, gave advantages to private retailers by ending the government’s control over the sale of liquor.
Earlier on Thursday, India’s main opposition party, separate from Kejriwal’s, accused Modi of suppressing democracy by freezing its bank accounts over a tax dispute.