It would have come as a shock to everybody had actor John Abraham completed the 15-day sentence in jail by a lower court after paying the fine. He has appealed to a higher court for respite and thankfully unlike most stars he didn’t run away after his bike hit two people, rather he took the injured to the hospital.
To see an Indian celeb accept a strict court verdict is a far fetched dream. But in the West irrespective of your celebrity status you will go to jail and serve your sentence whether you are Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan or Mel gibson.
Many celebs manage to find a loophole in the law and avoid going to prison. Stars like Bollywood cutie Salman Khan are one of the few who have been behind bars. Here cases tend to get dragged on for years, whereby, the guilty never makes it to prison, unlike the West, where celebs pay for breaking the law whether it is in the form of a jail term or a big monetary fine. But in India, the rich and famous dodge jail terms dexterously and appeal to higher courts or a reduced sentence.
Opines Nitin Rola, a professional, “Well, since John was found guilty, he should have completed the sentence and definitely set a high standard for everyone to follow. All men are equal in a democracy and laws should not be bent for some people, they are not flexible and the verdict of the court must be respected.”
Ali Khan, a medical professional begs to differ and he says that if John is on bail as per the law then it is not the matter of being rich or poor. This facility must be extended to everybody.
“Why should we single him out, just because of his star status? Sometimes we blame people just because they have wealth and social standing. This is also a subtle kind of discrimination. Equal rights don’t mean only the poor need to be bailed out. Laws should reach out to all those who seek redressal,” he adds.
Celebrities being public figures are always in the spotlight. While rash driving is a serious crime, it is not limited to prominent figures breaking it frequently. It is not only John, had anybody been in his place he would have perhaps done the same and appealed, says Raksha Shrestha, a law student. She adds, “This is a bailable offence. Yes, our system has loopholes tailor-made for the rich and the famous. While in the West, stars, no matter how famous will not be allowed to get away. In fact, there will have to pay a huge fine and public figures in the West take their role of being role models and icons seriously. Plus they are not treated as demi-gods like our stars are considered in India.”
Photographer Karan Thapa avers, “John has money so he can hire a good lawyer to fight his case. I would have done the same thing.”