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A pattern worth naming — and its exceptions

Most cases exposed decades ago have reached some legal resolution — a conviction, acquittal, or closure — even when it took an unusually long time: Bofors took 40 years, the Jeep Scandal seven, Harshad Mehta's case concluded only after his death. Most large bank-fraud cases exposed in the 2018–2022 window (DHFL, ABG Shipyard, PMC Bank, Yes Bank–Rana Kapoor) are still awaiting even a first verdict.

But time alone doesn't guarantee resolution, and speed isn't impossible either — both real exceptions worth naming rather than smoothing over. The Adarsh Housing Society case (exposed 2010) and the Sahara–SEBI dispute (exposed 2011) remain formally unresolved 15 years later; Sahara's only ended because its central figure died before trial. Meanwhile Vyapam, exposed in 2013, produced its first convictions within about four years — faster than several cases exposed years earlier. There is no clean rule here, only real, checkable variation in how long accountability actually takes.