From Sonia to Salman: Court cases where the high and mighty had their way

The National Herald case and the Hit and run case has kept our hands full. As the verdict is yet not out in both the cases (even after 3 years and 13 years respectively), we can imagine the hows and the whys that's coming in between. Given the stature of the so-called 'accused', one can only blame the trust that we have laid on our judiciary system.

Ironically, India is not alone. There have been instances globally that have confirmed our doubts. Here are some cases where the high and the mighty had their way with the judiciary.

Sonia, Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case

In the year 2012, Subramanium Swamy filed a complaint in 2012, alleging that the mother-son duo have transferred crores of rupees from Associated Journals Ltd to Young India Pvt Ltd. To which the Congress said that the YIL was a charitable organization and did not make profits.

[Read: Cong using Parliament to 'silence' judiciary: Govt]

The party also claimed that the amount transferred was merely a commercial transaction that involved transferring the company shares. Interestingly, the case was covered in wraps and did not fetch much media attention. Despite the fact that the High Court on earlier occasions called it "evidenced criminality", there has been no ruling ever since.

Salman Khan hit-and-run case

On-screen Bajrangi Bhaijaan continues his 'bhaigiri' outside too-got his sister married, made films that smashed the Blockbuster and is roaming free. 13 years on, the Dabang continues, but the life that was lost remains uncelebrated. A sessions court, however, held him guilty and sentenced him to five years of imprisonment. But was out on bail immideately after that. Since Monday, the verdict is being read and no one knows what the outcome would be. Meanwhile, the sole witness of the incident, Salman's bodyguard, Ravindra Patil, died, leaving the case even murkier.

[Read: 2002 hit-and-run case: Bombay HC doubts bodyguard Ravindra Patil's evidence against Salman Khan]

Moreover, when the case was registered, there was no mention of driver on the wheels unless one appeared after 13 years who took the blame on himself. The sessions court, however, did not accept him as an evidence and said he was a "got-up witness".

To add icing to the cake, his brother Kamal Khan became a controversial witness. In earlier reports, it was said that he was present in the car with the bodyguard and Salman Khan.

Ironically, he was never called in the witness box in any of the courts. The defence, however, said that he was interrogated by the police initially, just after the incident but never after that.

Oscar Pistorious

The paraolympian from South Africa has been in the news since 2013 for allegedly murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. While there were a number of debates over the various angles of the case.

For instance, why did Pistorious kill his ex-girlfriend Jenna Edkins, just hours before he shot his girlfriend in a locked toilet? Moreover, why was the phone removed and the call history deleted before handig it over to the authorities.

[Read: Oscar Pistorius to be released on parole in August]

First arrested and then granted bail for $100,000, he was again placed on house arrest for five years. Finally on Dec 3, he was convicted of murder on appeal but was granted bail on condition that he surrendered his passport and wore a tag. Incidentally, he had also called and told his friend that he did not want to live in jail as it was a horrible place.