Except Rajagopal, 9 others surrender before court

Chennai: While P. Rajagopal, owner of famous Saravana Bhavan chain of restaurants, failed to surrender before the police in connection with a murder of a youth in 2001, nine others convicted in the case surrendered before the court in Chennai on Monday. The Supreme Court had granted them time till July 7 to surrender to the court owing to medical grounds.

Eighteen years after the abduction and murder of a youth in passion killing, the Supreme Court in March upheld the conviction and life imprisonment of Rajagopal. The apex court’s order comes 10 years after the Madras high court’s sentence.

According to reports, Rajagopal was admitted to a hospital days before he had to turn himself in to the police. He reportedly filed a petition in the apex court seeking an extension to the deadline given to him to surrender.

In the early 2000s, on the advice of astrologer Rajagopal made a fateful decision and decided to marry Jeevajothi, who was then 20, as a third wife. Jeevajothi, a daughter of an employee, was already married to Prince Santhakumar.

After his advances failed, in October 2001, Jeevajyothi, Santhakumar and her family were taken to Tiruchendur, when Santhakumar was separated from the family. Santhakumar was killed in crime of passion and his body was found in Kodaikanal. In 2004, Rajagopal and 10 others were found guilty. Rajagopal was sentenced to 10 years. On appeal, his sentence was increased to life, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in March this year.

While, Rajagopal, restaurant manager Daniel, 55, Karmegam 55, Zahir Hussain, 51, Kasi Viswanathan, 63 and Patturajan, 50, were sentenced to undergo life imprisonment, Tamilselvan, 53, Sethu 55, Muruganatham 49 were sentenced to undergo RI for three years and Balu and Janardanan were sentenced to undergo RI for two years. Barring Rajagopal and Janardanan all other convicts surrendered before IV additional judge G.Thanendran on Monday afternoon.