INDIA’S Supreme Court granted interim bail to a top opposition leader on Friday who was arrested nearly seven weeks ago in a bribery case.

Opposition parties labelled the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal a political move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s right-wing government during a national election.

Mr Kejriwal, leader of the Aam Aadmi (Common Man’s) Party, is the chief elected official in the city of New Delhi.

The court ordered Mr Kejriwal’s release on interim bail, enabling him to campaign in the country’s national election until the voting ends on June 1, his lawyer said.

Opposition leaders hailed the court verdict. “It will be very helpful in the context of the current elections,” said Mamta Banerjee, the top elected official of West Bengal state.

But Manjinder Singh Sirsa, a leader of the ruling BJP, said the court’s decision did not mean that Mr Kejriwal has been exonerated in the bribery case. He will have to go back to jail on June 2 as pre-trial court proceedings are still taking place.

The court rejected the prosecuting agency’s plea that their decision would put Mr Kejriwal in a beneficial position compared with ordinary citizens.

But Mr Kejriwal will not be allowed to visit his office and some decisions he makes as chief minister of New Delhi must be approved by the capital’s governor. 

Mr Kejriwal was arrested by the federal enforcement directorate, India’s main financial investigation agency, on March 21. 

The agency, controlled by Mr Modi’s government, accused the AAP and ministers of accepting 1 billion rupees (£9.53 million) in bribes from alcohol contractors nearly two years ago. 

The arrest triggered days of protests by party activists supported by other opposition parties.

Mr Kejriwal, who has remained New Delhi’s chief minister, has denied the accusations. 

The national elections that started on April 19 are due to conclude on June 1. Votes will be counted on June 4.