Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi (MS)

New Delhi, Jul 18: Rajagopal (72), founder of the well-known chain of vegetarian, south Indian style hotels, Saravana Bhavan, who was sentenced for life for getting one of his employees murdered, died of cardiac arrest at Vijaya Hospital in the city of Chennai on Thursday, July 18. 

Rajagopal had surrendered to the police after the Supreme Court rejected his appeal requesting for more time to go to the prison citing his health condition.

Kapil Sibal had argued in the court for Rajagopal and said that he is not well and should be excused from surrendering to the police immediately after the court order. However, justice Ramana had denied the request by Sibal and had questioned as to why his client did not bring this to the notice of the court while the hearing of the case was in progress.

The Supreme Court upheld the life sentence given to Rajagopal by the lower court in the month of March 2019 for the murder of Prince Santhakumar, an employee of his hotel. Rajagopal wanted to marry the wife of Santhakumar as per the directions of an astrologer, who said that he will prosper more if he marries the said lady.