New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday confirmed the life imprisonment on R. Rajagopal, proprietor of Saravana Bhavan chain of hotels in India and abroad and seven others for causing the murder of his employee Santhakumar to marry his wife Jeevajothi.
A three judge Bench of Justices N.V. Ramana, Shantanagouder and Ms Indira Banerjee thereby upheld the Madras high court judgment, which had enhanced the sentence to life term from 10 years sentence, awarded by the trial court. The bench granted time till July 7 to the accused,who are on bail to surrender to the trial court to serve out the sentence.
Santhakumar was abducted and later murdered on October 26, 2001 and his body was buried in Perumalmalai in Kodaikanal forest. The cause of death was found to be asphyxia due to throttling.
