P. Rajagopal (businessman): Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Indian businessman and convicted Murderer (1947–2019)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name              = P. Rajagopal
| name              = Pitchai Rajagopal
| image              = P. Rajagopal.jpg
| image              = P. Rajagopal.jpg
| image_size        = 200px
| image_size        = 200px
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| birth_date        = {{birth date|1947|08|05|df=yes}}<ref name="NYTobit"/>
| birth_date        = {{birth date|1947|08|05|df=yes}}<ref name="NYTobit"/>
| parents            =  
| parents            =  
| birth_place        = Punnaiyadi, [[Tuticorin District]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India
| birth_place        = Punnaiyadi, [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]
| death_place        = [[Chennai]], India
| death_place        = [[Chennai]], India
| death_date        = {{death date and age|2019|07|18|1947|08|05|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.timesofindia.com/city/chennai/saravana-bhavan-founder-p-rajagopal-dies-in-chennai/amp_articleshow/70272624.cms|title=Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal dies in Chennai|publisher=Times of India|access-date=2020-01-17}}</ref>
| death_date        = {{death date and age|2019|07|18|1947|08|05|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/saravana-bhavan-founder-p-rajagopal-dies-in-chennai/articleshow/70272624.cms|title=Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal dies in Chennai|newspaper=Times of India|access-date=2020-01-17|archive-date=28 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128232413/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/saravana-bhavan-founder-p-rajagopal-dies-in-chennai/articleshow/70272624.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>
| occupation        = Founder of [[Saravana Bhavan]]
| known_for          = Founder of [[Saravana Bhavan]], Murder of Santhakumar
| networth          =  
| networth          =  
| criminal_charges  = [[Murder]]
| criminal_penalty  = [[Life imprisonment]]
| spouse            =  
| spouse            =  
| children          = 2 sons<ref>{{cite news|title=Saravana Bhavan owner sentenced to life|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article48108.ece|work=express buzz |date=20 March 2009}}</ref>
| children          = 2 sons<ref>{{cite news|title=Saravana Bhavan owner sentenced to life|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article48108.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508030422/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article48108.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 May 2014|work=express buzz |date=20 March 2009}}</ref>
}}
}}
'''P. Rajagopal''' (5 August 1947 – 18 July 2019) was the founder of the [[Saravana Bhavan]] chain of restaurants based in [[Chennai]], India. Born in rural [[Tamil Nadu]] into a farming family, and with little education, Rajagopal built a global restaurant chain. In later life, he was convicted for a 2001 murder, and began serving a life sentence in July 2019. Several days after his imprisonment, he had a heart attack and died.<ref name="death1"/>
'''Pitchai Rajagopal''' (5 August 1947 – 18 July 2019) was a convicted murderer and also the founder of the [[Saravana Bhavan]] chain of restaurants based in [[Chennai]], India. Born in rural [[Tamil Nadu]] into a farming family, and with little education, Rajagopal built a global restaurant chain.


==Career==
In later life, he was convicted for a 2001 murder, and began serving a life sentence in July 2019.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/saravana-bhavan-murder-how-dosa-king-with-empire-from-chennai-to-new-york-rose-and-fell/articleshow/106643132.cms?from=mdr | title=Saravana Bhavan murder and the rise and fall of Dosa King | newspaper=The Times of India | archive-date=3 February 2024 | access-date=3 February 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203073250/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/saravana-bhavan-murder-how-dosa-king-with-empire-from-chennai-to-new-york-rose-and-fell/articleshow/106643132.cms?from=mdr | url-status=live }}</ref> Several days after his imprisonment, he had a heart attack and died.<ref name="death1">{{cite news |date=18 July 2019 |title=Saravana Bhawan founder P Rajagopal passes away after heart attack in Chennai |journal=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/saravana-bhawan-founder-p-rajagopal-passes-away-after-heart-attack-in-chennai/articleshow/70272161.cms |access-date=18 July 2019}}</ref>
Rajagopal was born in Punnaiyadi, a tiny village in [[Tuticorin District]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India.<ref name="NYTobit"/> His father was an onion seller; his mother was a homemaker.<ref name="NYTobit"/> In 1973, a few years after he came to [[Madras]], he started a general provisions store in [[K K Nagar]]. In 1981, he opened his first restaurant, [[Saravana Bhavan]], in [[Chennai|Madras]].<ref name="NYTobit"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Hotel Saravana Bhavan|url=http://www.chennaibest.com/cityresources/Food_and_Dining/profiles01.asp |work=Chennaibest.com}}</ref> By 2019, his company had expanded to 111 restaurants in 22 countries, employing about 5,000 people.<ref name="NYTobit">{{cite news |last1=Tsang |first1=Amie |title=P. Rajagopal, Restaurant Mogul Convicted of Murder, Dies at 71 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/obituaries/rajagopal-saravana-bhavan-dead.html |access-date=1 August 2019 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=25 July 2019}}</ref> He built a temple in his village called Punnai Sri Srinivasaperumal Kovil.


==Crime==
==Early life==
On the advice of an astrologer, he obsessively tried to take Jeevajothi, the daughter of one of his employees, as his third wife, but she was already married and rejected him. He orchestrated multiple threats, beatings, and exorcism against her and her family. In 2001, after one attempted murder, he successfully orchestrated the murder of her husband Santhakumar. He was sentenced to life for the murder.<ref name="thenewsminute.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/saravana-bhavan-founder-p-rajagopal-sentenced-life-murder-sc-upholds-conviction-99129|title=Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal sentenced to life for murder, SC upholds conviction|website=The News Minute|access-date=2019-07-03}}</ref><ref name="indianexpress.com">{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-upholds-life-imprisonment-of-saravana-bhavan-owner-p-rajagopal-5648204/|title=SC upholds life term of Saravana Bhavan owner for employee's murder|date=29 March 2019|website=indianexpress.com|access-date=8 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/the-spectacular-fall-of-indias-dosa-king-744506.html|title=The spectacular fall of India's 'dosa king'|date=2019-07-03|website=Deccan Herald|language=en|access-date=2019-07-03}}</ref>
Rajagopal was born in Punnaiyadi, a tiny village now in [[Tuticorin District]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India.<ref name="NYTobit">{{cite news |last1=Tsang |first1=Amie |date=25 July 2019 |title=P. Rajagopal, Restaurant Mogul Convicted of Murder, Dies at 71 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/obituaries/rajagopal-saravana-bhavan-dead.html |access-date=1 August 2019 |archive-date=1 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801173102/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/obituaries/rajagopal-saravana-bhavan-dead.html |url-status=live }}</ref> His father was an onion seller; his mother was a homemaker.<ref name="NYTobit" />


== Life sentence for murder==
==Business==
In 2009, the brand value of the restaurant chain plunged after the founder Rajagopal was sentenced to life imprisonment by the [[Madras High Court]] after being convicted of the murder of employee Prince Santhakumar in 2001 and sexual harassment of Santhakumar's wife Jeevajothi.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/obituaries/rajagopal-saravana-bhavan-dead.html|title=P. Rajagopal, Restaurant Mogul Convicted of Murder, Dies at 71|last=Tsang|first=Amie|date=2019-07-25|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-08-29|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Jeevajothi was the daughter of one of his assistant managers. Rajagopal wanted to marry Jeevajothi, but she was already married to Santhakumar. Santhakumar was kidnapped and his body was found strangled a few days later in a resort town in the [[Western Ghats]] mountain range.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.topnews.in/saravana-bhavan-founder-gets-life-term-murder-case-2141802|title=Saravana Bhavan founder gets life term in murder case - TopNews|website=www.topnews.in|access-date=8 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Saravana Bhavan founder gets life for murder|url=http://www.hindu.com/holnus/004200903191521.htm |work=The Hindu|date=19 March 2009}}</ref> Rajagopal was freed on bail for medical reasons while his case was appealed to the Indian Supreme Court. However, a judgement was passed enhancing his prison term to a life sentence, upholding a lower court's conviction.<ref name=nytimes>{{cite web|last=Romig|first=Rollo|title=Masala Dosa to Die For|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/11/magazine/masala-dosa-to-die-for.html?smid=fb-nytimes&WT.z_sma=MG_MDT_20140507&bicmp=AD&bicmlukp=WT.mc_id&bicmst=1388552400000&bicmet=1420088400000&_r=1|work=New York Times|access-date=7 May 2014}}</ref>
In 1973, he moved to [[Madras]] and started a general provisions store in [[K K Nagar]]. He opened his first restaurant in 1981.<ref name="NYTobit" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Hotel Saravana Bhavan |work=Chennaibest.com |url=http://www.chennaibest.com/cityresources/Food_and_Dining/profiles01.asp |archive-date=3 April 2009 |access-date=31 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403021634/http://www.chennaibest.com/cityresources/Food_and_Dining/profiles01.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> By 2019, he had expanded to 111 restaurants in 22 countries, employing about 5,000 people. He built a temple in his village called Punnai Sri Srinivasaperumal Kovil.


===Supreme Court upholding===
== Murder of Santhakumar ==
On 29 March 2019, the [[Supreme Court of India]] upheld Rajagopal's murder conviction and life imprisonment.<ref name="thenewsminute.com"/> As per the order of the Supreme Court, he would have to surrender to the authorities by 7 July 2019 and would have to spend the rest of his days in prison.<ref name="indianexpress.com"/> Rajagopal surrendered to the authorities on 9 July 2019. Although his counsel pleaded for an extension of bail on medical grounds, the plea was rejected by the Supreme Court, which ordered the tycoon to "surrender immediately". Rajagopal also sought exemption from surrendering and pleaded that his hospitalisation time be treated as time spent behind bars. The court rejected this.
On the advice of an astrologer, he obsessively tried to take Jeevajothi, the daughter of one of his assistant managers, as his third wife, but she was already married and rejected him. He orchestrated multiple threats, beatings, and exorcisms against her and her family. In 2001, after one attempted murder, he successfully orchestrated the murder of her husband, Prince Santhakumar. Santhakumar was kidnapped and his body was found strangled a few days later in a resort town in the [[Western Ghats]] mountain range.<ref>{{cite web |title=Saravana Bhavan founder gets life term in murder case - TopNews |url=https://www.topnews.in/saravana-bhavan-founder-gets-life-term-murder-case-2141802 |access-date=8 May 2019 |website=www.topnews.in}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=19 March 2009 |title=Saravana Bhavan founder gets life for murder |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.hindu.com/holnus/004200903191521.htm |archive-date=28 May 2013 |access-date=31 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528081015/http://www.hindu.com/holnus/004200903191521.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
===Life sentence for murder===
In 2004, a Chennai court sentenced Rajagopal to 10 years in prison for the murder of Santhakumar. Upon appeal, the [[Madras High Court]] upgraded his prison term to a life sentence, upholding the lower court's conviction.<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news |last=Romig |first=Rollo |date=7 May 2014 |title=Masala Dosa to Die For |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/11/magazine/masala-dosa-to-die-for.html?smid=fb-nytimes&WT.z_sma=MG_MDT_20140507&bicmp=AD&bicmlukp=WT.mc_id&bicmst=1388552400000&bicmet=1420088400000&_r=1 |access-date=7 May 2014 |work=New York Times |archive-date=8 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508062301/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/11/magazine/masala-dosa-to-die-for.html?smid=fb-nytimes&WT.z_sma=MG_MDT_20140507&bicmp=AD&bicmlukp=WT.mc_id&bicmst=1388552400000&bicmet=1420088400000&_r=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
Rajagopal was freed on bail for medical reasons while his case was appealed to the Indian Supreme Court. On 29 March 2019, the [[Supreme Court of India]] upheld Rajagopal's murder conviction and life imprisonment.<ref name="thenewsminute.com">{{Cite web |date=29 March 2019 |title=Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal sentenced to life for murder, SC upholds conviction |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/saravana-bhavan-founder-p-rajagopal-sentenced-life-murder-sc-upholds-conviction-99129 |access-date=2019-07-03 |website=The News Minute}}</ref><ref name="indianexpress.com">{{cite web |date=29 March 2019 |title=SC upholds life term of Saravana Bhavan owner for employee's murder |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-upholds-life-imprisonment-of-saravana-bhavan-owner-p-rajagopal-5648204/ |access-date=8 May 2019 |website=indianexpress.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-03 |title=The spectacular fall of India's 'dosa king' |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/the-spectacular-fall-of-indias-dosa-king-744506.html |access-date=2019-07-03 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en |archive-date=3 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703185531/https://www.deccanherald.com/national/the-spectacular-fall-of-indias-dosa-king-744506.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He was ordered to surrender to the authorities by 7 July 2019,<ref name="indianexpress.com" /> which he did on 9 July 2019. The Supreme Court rejected his request for a bail extension on medical grounds as well as his request that his hospitalization be counted towards his prison sentence.


==Death==
==Death==
After surrendering on 9 July 2019 to serve his life sentence, Rajagopal had a heart attack on 13 July 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/saravana-bhavan-founder-p-rajagopal-critical-on-ventilator-1569941-2019-07-16 | title=Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal critical, on ventilator | journal=India Today | first=Lokpria | last=Vasudevan | date=16 July 2019 | access-date=18 July 2019}}</ref> The Madras High Court granted permission to transfer him from the prison ward of [[Stanley Medical College|Stanley Medical College Hospital]] to Vijaya Hospital in Chennai, where he died on the morning of 18 July 2019.<ref name="death1">{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/saravana-bhawan-founder-p-rajagopal-passes-away-after-heart-attack-in-chennai/articleshow/70272161.cms|title=Saravana Bhawan founder P Rajagopal passes away after heart attack in Chennai|journal=The Economic Times|date=18 July 2019|access-date=18 July 2019}}</ref>
A heart attack struck Rajagopal on 13 July 2019 after he surrendered to serve his life sentence on 9 July 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last=Vasudevan |first=Lokpria |date=16 July 2019 |title=Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal critical, on ventilator |journal=India Today |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/saravana-bhavan-founder-p-rajagopal-critical-on-ventilator-1569941-2019-07-16 |access-date=18 July 2019 |archive-date=17 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717194652/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/saravana-bhavan-founder-p-rajagopal-critical-on-ventilator-1569941-2019-07-16 |url-status=live }}</ref> After transferring from [[Stanley Medical College|Stanley Medical College Hospital]] to Vijaya Hospital in Chennai, he died of another heart attack on 18 July 2019.<ref name="death1" />


== References ==
== References ==
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[[Category:Businesspeople from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Restaurant founders]]
[[Category:Restaurant founders]]
[[Category:People convicted of murder by India]]
[[Category:Indian people convicted of murder]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian murderers]]
[[Category:Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by India]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian businesspeople]]

Latest revision as of 07:43, 5 January 2026


Pitchai Rajagopal
Rajagopal with his sons in 2010
Born(1947-08-05)5 August 1947[1]
Punnaiyadi, Madras Presidency, British India
Died18 July 2019(2019-07-18) (aged 71)[2]
Chennai, India
Known forFounder of Saravana Bhavan, Murder of Santhakumar
Criminal charge(s)Murder
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment
Children2 sons[3]

Pitchai Rajagopal (5 August 1947 – 18 July 2019) was a convicted murderer and also the founder of the Saravana Bhavan chain of restaurants based in Chennai, India. Born in rural Tamil Nadu into a farming family, and with little education, Rajagopal built a global restaurant chain.

In later life, he was convicted for a 2001 murder, and began serving a life sentence in July 2019.[4] Several days after his imprisonment, he had a heart attack and died.[5]

Early life[edit | edit source]

Rajagopal was born in Punnaiyadi, a tiny village now in Tuticorin District, Tamil Nadu, India.[1] His father was an onion seller; his mother was a homemaker.[1]

Business[edit | edit source]

In 1973, he moved to Madras and started a general provisions store in K K Nagar. He opened his first restaurant in 1981.[1][6] By 2019, he had expanded to 111 restaurants in 22 countries, employing about 5,000 people. He built a temple in his village called Punnai Sri Srinivasaperumal Kovil.

Murder of Santhakumar[edit | edit source]

On the advice of an astrologer, he obsessively tried to take Jeevajothi, the daughter of one of his assistant managers, as his third wife, but she was already married and rejected him. He orchestrated multiple threats, beatings, and exorcisms against her and her family. In 2001, after one attempted murder, he successfully orchestrated the murder of her husband, Prince Santhakumar. Santhakumar was kidnapped and his body was found strangled a few days later in a resort town in the Western Ghats mountain range.[7][8]

Life sentence for murder[edit | edit source]

In 2004, a Chennai court sentenced Rajagopal to 10 years in prison for the murder of Santhakumar. Upon appeal, the Madras High Court upgraded his prison term to a life sentence, upholding the lower court's conviction.[9]

Rajagopal was freed on bail for medical reasons while his case was appealed to the Indian Supreme Court. On 29 March 2019, the Supreme Court of India upheld Rajagopal's murder conviction and life imprisonment.[10][11][12] He was ordered to surrender to the authorities by 7 July 2019,[11] which he did on 9 July 2019. The Supreme Court rejected his request for a bail extension on medical grounds as well as his request that his hospitalization be counted towards his prison sentence.

Death[edit | edit source]

A heart attack struck Rajagopal on 13 July 2019 after he surrendered to serve his life sentence on 9 July 2019.[13] After transferring from Stanley Medical College Hospital to Vijaya Hospital in Chennai, he died of another heart attack on 18 July 2019.[5]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Tsang, Amie (25 July 2019). "P. Rajagopal, Restaurant Mogul Convicted of Murder, Dies at 71". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  2. ↑ "Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal dies in Chennai". Times of India. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  3. ↑ "Saravana Bhavan owner sentenced to life". express buzz. 20 March 2009. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014.
  4. ↑ "Saravana Bhavan murder and the rise and fall of Dosa King". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Saravana Bhawan founder P Rajagopal passes away after heart attack in Chennai". The Economic Times. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  6. ↑ "Hotel Saravana Bhavan". Chennaibest.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2009.
  7. ↑ "Saravana Bhavan founder gets life term in murder case - TopNews". www.topnews.in. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  8. ↑ "Saravana Bhavan founder gets life for murder". The Hindu. 19 March 2009. Archived from the original on 28 May 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2009.
  9. ↑ Romig, Rollo (7 May 2014). "Masala Dosa to Die For". New York Times. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal sentenced to life for murder, SC upholds conviction". The News Minute. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "SC upholds life term of Saravana Bhavan owner for employee's murder". indianexpress.com. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  12. ↑ "The spectacular fall of India's 'dosa king'". Deccan Herald. 3 July 2019. Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  13. ↑ Vasudevan, Lokpria (16 July 2019). "Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal critical, on ventilator". India Today. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
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