Chennai: Saravana Bhavan chain of restaurants owner P Rajagopal (71), who is facing life sentence in a murder case, had sought the Supreme Court to the delay his prison sentence citing ill health, but his request was denied today.
The apex court questioned the legitimacy of Rajagopal’s request as he had not reported any medical concerns during earlier hearings.
In 2001, he was sentenced to 10 years in jail by a trial court on charges of kidnapping and killing Prince Santhakumar. Based on an astrologer’s advice, Rajagopal wished to marry Santhakumar’s wife Jeevajyothi.
The Madras High Court, in 2004, sentenced him and five others to life imprisonment. The decision was upheld by the Supreme Court in March and he was ordered to surrender by 7 July. But on Monday he sought more time on grounds of ill health, while his accomplices, including Daniel, Karmegam, Zakir Hussain, Kasi Viswanathan and Patturajan, surrendered before the fourth additional session court in Chennai.