New Delhi: The owner of Saravana Bhavan chain of hotels, P. Rajagopal, has been ordered by the Supreme Court to surrender. The top court this morning upheld the conviction and life sentence of Rajagopal for the murder of an employee of Saravana Bhavan, who was working with the hotel group, in 2001.

Rajagopal, out on bail granted by the Supreme Court in 2009, has to surrender by July 7. Rajagopal had challenged the Madras High Court verdict, sentencing him to life for murdering an employee, Santhakumar. The hotel chain owner plotted the murder of Santhakumar, to marry his wife, the prosecution had argued.

The employee’s body was found at Perumalmalai in the Kodaikanal forests. The case goes back to the 90s, when Rajagopal wanted to marry Jeevajothi, the daughter of an assistant manager at Saravana Bhavan’s Chennai branch. Rajagopal, at that time already had two wives and Jeevajothi had objected to the marriage.

She married Santhakumar in 1999. The prosecution told the court that Rajagopal threatened the couple to call off the marriage. In 2001, Jeevajothi and Santhakumar filed a complaint with the Police, alleging that they were being threatened. Days after the couple went to the Police, Santhakumar was kidnapped and killed.

Saravana Bhavan, a well-known restaurant chain, has outlets in 20 countries including the US, the UK, France and Australia. There are 25 restaurants in India including in Delhi.