Supreme Court upholds Madras HC order, Saravana Bhavan owner to serve life term in murder case

Upholding the verdict of the Madras High Court, the Supreme Court today sentenced Saravana Bhawan owner P Rajagopal for life in connection with the murder of an employee at the Sarvana chain of hotels in 2001.

Rajagopal, who has been out on bail since 2009, has been ordered by the apex court to surrender by July 7.

News agency ANI tweeted, “Supreme Court upheld the Madras High Court order of conviction of life term to Saravana Bhavan owner, P Rajagopal, for murdering one of his employees in 2001.”

Rajagopal had earlier challenged the Madras High Court verdict, which has sentenced him to life imprisonment, in the murder of his employee, Santhakumar. The prosecution in its argument had said that to marry Santhakumar’s wife, Rajagopal had plotted his murder.

Saravana Bhawan, a hotel chain, is widely popular across the globe including 20 countries like that of the US, the UK, France and Australia. In India, the company operates on 25 restaurants, with its branches in Delhi as well.

Also read: Mahagathbandhan in Bihar: Congress gets Patna Sahib, Sharad Yadav to contest from Madhepura