REUTERS, New Delhi

India’s opposition parties yesterday accused the government of targeting their leaders in the build-up to elections after the financial crime agency arrested a state chief minister on corruption charges, the latest in a series of investigations. Hemant Soren, chief minister of the eastern state of Jharkhand, denied any wrongdoing in a video message posted online hours before his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday evening. Soren is a senior leader of the opposition “INDIA” alliance, made up of more than two dozen parties campaigning to unseat Prime Minister Narendra Modi in general elections due by May. “I will continue my struggle and win against this political conspiracy ... Our rivals are succeeding in their unholy intentions for now but we will keep fighting,” Soren said. The ED has said it is investigating several other opposition leaders including ministers from the national capital territory of Delhi. Officials at the ED did not respond to questions about Soren and other cases. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not comment on the individual cases, but denied any political interference and said investigations were justified.