New Delhi: The Supreme Court upheld the Madras High Court order of life term to P Rajagopal, the owner of Saravana Bhavan for the abduction and murder of one of his employees in 2001, on Friday. P Rajagopal is currently out on bail granted to him by the apex court in 2009, it was reported.
This is one of the most high-profile criminal cases. SC has asked the Saravana Bhavan owner to surrender by July 7. Five others were also sentenced in the same murder case.
Prince Santhakumar was murdered in October 2001 by the hotel owner henchmen after abducting him from his residence in Vellacherry in Chennai. He was the husband of Jeevajyothi whom P Rajagopal reportedly wanted to marry. Later on 31st October 2001, Santhakumar body was found dumped in the forest of Kodai hills.
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According to reports, P Rajagopal was convicted by the Sessions court for murder and was also sentenced to ten years imprisonment. The Madras High Court had enhanced the sentence to life imprisonment which further led to appeal in Supreme Court by the convicts.
The largest South Indian vegetarian restaurant chain in the world, Saravana Bhavan was founded in in Tamil Nadu capital Chennai, in the year 1981. They have more than 33 locations in India and 47 locations across several countries in Southeast Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America.