When False Charges Shape Elections, Democracy Pays the Price

 

When False Charges Shape Elections, Democracy Pays the Price

Hindi Version: https://rakeshinsightfulgaze.blogspot.com/2026/02/blog-post_27.html

The recent court verdict clearing 23 individuals, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, is not just a legal outcome. It confirms what should have been clear much earlier: the corruption charges did not have sufficient evidence.

For years, the public was told these men were corrupt. Arrests were broadcast repeatedly. The argument pushed across media platforms was simple: if they are still in jail, they must be guilty.

That argument shaped public opinion. Jail became proof. Bail denial became confirmation. Delay became justification. At the same time, judicial observations were questioning the strength of the case. Courts demanded evidence. Yet bail was not granted. Liberty was denied while proof was not produced in court in a manner strong enough to sustain the charges.

The public did not see the legal nuance. They saw incarceration. During this period, elections were held. Voters formed opinions under a constant narrative of corruption. Many believed guilt must exist because the accused remained behind bars. Others were confused and chose not to vote. Perception influenced participation. Participation influenced results.

If the evidence was not sufficient, then the electoral process was shaped by a narrative that did not survive judicial scrutiny. That is damage. The damage extended beyond politics. In India, people do not hesitate to call someone a “chor.” Children of the accused were mocked in schools. Families were humiliated in workplaces and neighborhoods. Spouses carried social stigma. Parents faced public judgment.

This humiliation was fueled by repeated media messaging that treated incarceration as moral certainty.

Now the court has found the charges did not hold up. So the question is unavoidable: If the government did not have a solid case, why were these men kept in jail? If the evidence was insufficient, why was bail denied for so long? If proof could not be substantiated, why did detention continue?

This is where institutional failure must be acknowledged. Investigative agencies brought charges that did not sustain. Courts allowed extended incarceration while evidence remained contested. The media amplified the narrative that jail equals guilt.

The verdict clears the accused. But clearing the accused is not the same as correcting the system. When incarceration shapes elections, when families are humiliated without proven guilt, and when public perception is formed on accusations that collapse in court, the issue goes beyond individuals.

Justice cannot end with “not guilty.” If there was no evidence strong enough to convict, then the prolonged imprisonment itself demands examination. If the public was repeatedly told guilt was certain, then those who built that certainty must answer for it.

Because in a democracy, accusation is not conviction. Jail is not proof. And narrative is not evidence.

This verdict closes a case. It does not close the damage. And that damage must be confronted.

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