Saravana Bhavan founder dies week after surrender

Rajagopal had surrendered in court last week in a stretcher after the Supreme Court in March this year upheld the life sentence awarded to him by the Madras High Court 10 years ago. 

After his surrender, the hotelier was taken to the government hospital’s jail ward and from there shifted to a private hospital in Vadapalani after his condition deteriorated. 

Before he was shifted, Rajagopal had suffered two heart attacks, while being treated in the prison ward in Stanley Medical College last week. 

In March this year, the apex court upheld the Madras High Court order of life sentence to him and asked him to surrender before the HC before July 7. The Supreme Court order came 10 years after the High Court order. 

Either on the “advice of an astrologer” or “having become besotted with” the wife of his employee Prince Santhakumar, Rajagopal initially attempted to make her his third wife and after failing in his endeavour, plotted abduction and murder of her husband, the top court had noted in its judgment. On October 1, 2001, Rajagopal got the woman and her husband abducted. 

Rajagopal, who failed to surrender before July 7, had approached the Apex Court next day seeking respite. On July 9, the SC asked him to surrender before the court and on the same day he appeared before the court in a stretcher. The court had then asked him to undergo jail term in the convict ward at Stanley medical college. 

Rajagopal is survived by two sons. His South Indian restaurant chain has presence in over 20 countries across the world, including the US and the UK.