NEW DELHI: An Indian court acquitted a former Delhi chief minister on Friday in a corruption case he denounced as a “political conspiracy” by the Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Arvind Kejriwal, leader of the opposition Aam Aadmi Party, had served as the capital’s chief minister before losing elections last year as the judicial proceedings against him were underway.

He was jailed for several months in 2024 after being arrested on accusations that his administration had received kickbacks from the allocation of liquor licences.

The 57-year-old politician wept as he left the court in New Delhi.

The trial court cleared Kejriwal, his former deputy Manish Sisodia and 21 others of all charges, saying mere approval of policy decisions “without evidence of dishonest intention” did not attract criminal liability.

Kejriwal demanded an apology from Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing them of being “the main conspirators” who wanted to destroy his party.

“This entire thing was orchestrated by two people Narendra Modi and Amit Shah and they should apologise,” he said at a news conference.

“They hatched this conspiracy to destroy the Aam Aadmi Party. They knew they would not be able to defeat us, so they plotted this conspiracy.”

Crowds of supporters gathered around Kejriwal’s vehicle, chanting slogans, waving party flags and showering rose petals.

The Central Bureau of Investigation, which led the case, appealed the ruling.

Kejriwal, a key Modi opponent, began his career as a tax collector, but quit his civil service job to become an anti-corruption crusader, bringing him national fame.­

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2026