1. 2001 Saravana Bhavan Case (Chennai, Tamil Nadu)

A blind belief in astrology played a big part in the rise and fall of ‘dosa king’ of India, P Rajagopal and led to a shocking crime.

What Really Happened?

Rajagopal who was an extremely religious person was advised by an astrologer to marry Jeevajothi who was the daughter of an assistant manager of Saravana Bhavan Chennai branch. It was supposed to bring him a lot of good luck. However, Jeevajothi got married to her lover Prince Santhakumar. Obsessed with a woman who was half his age, Rajagopal kept stalking her before and after her marriage. To win the newly wed couple’s confidence, he gifted them jewellry, clothes etc. Apparently, he helped the couple set-up a shop as well. Soon after this successful propaganda, Rajagopal started terrorising them to alienate from each other. Daniel, a manager of Rajagopal from one of his branches, was given Rs 5 lakhs to kill Santhakumar. Instead, Daniel gave Santhakumar that amount and asked him to escape to Mumbai. When he refused, Jeevajothi along with her family was taken to a faraway village, while Daniel took Santhakumar away. Next day, his dead body was found in the Western Ghats of Kodaikanal. When Jeevajothi got to know about this, she filed an FIR and Danial and his accomplices, as also Rajagopal himself had to surrender.

Why the Murder?

It was a piece of astrological advice that led to a spiral of crime such as abduction and eventually murder.

What’s the Status Now?

On November 23, 2001, Rajagopal surrendered but got bail in less than two years. Thereafter, on July 15, 2003, he was again put on trial on charges of bribing Jeevajothi with Rs 6 lakh, intimidating her and mugging her brother Ramkumar. This time, he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and held liable to a hefty fine as compensation to Jeevajothi.

Although he was soon freed on bail due to medical reasons, the law again caught up with him when on March 29, 2019, the Supreme Court (SC) sentenced him to life imprisonment. He was asked to surrender by July 7. He surrendered on July 9 with a dramatic entry to the court in an ambulance. And further appealed for bail on medical grounds but the plea was rejected by the SC. He was arrested and put behind bars. Within days of arrest, he complained of cardiac problems. Due to his condition, Madras High Court (HC) permitted to shift him from the prison ward of Stanley Medical College Hospital to Vijaya Hospital in Chennai, where he breathed his last on the morning of July 18, 2019.