In the world of South Indian cuisine, one name once stood tall—P. Rajagopal, the man behind the famous Saravana Bhavan restaurant chain. From humble beginnings, he built a food empire loved by millions. But behind his success lay a dark secret—one that turned the “Dosa King” into a convicted murderer.
The Rise of the Rajagopal
Rajagopal’s journey began in a small village in Tamil Nadu, India. After working small jobs, he opened a grocery store at the age of 21. One day, a customer mentioned that he had to travel 5 km just to find a place to eat. Seeing a business opportunity, Rajagopal started his first eatery. His restaurant quickly became popular because he used quality ingredients and paid his employees well.
His dream was simple—to serve delicious and affordable South Indian food to the world. His food was a hit, and soon, Saravana Bhavan expanded across India and then to countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, and the Middle East. His restaurants became a home away from home for Indians abroad, offering authentic dosas, idlis, and sambar.
As his success grew, Dosa King became a powerful and respected businessman. But deep inside, he was obsessed with something—or rather, someone—that would lead him down a sinister path.
The Dark Obsession
Despite being married with children, Rajagopal became obsessed with a woman named Jeevajothi, the daughter of one of his employees. She and her family lived in Vedaranyam, about 400 km from Chennai. Her father struggled with business failures and wandered in search of work until he finally secured a job at a Saravana Bhavan branch in Chennai. Within a few months, he was promoted to assistant manager and was even given a rent-free house near the restaurant.
Jeevajothi was only 15 years old when she caught Rajagopal’s attention. Her younger brother received home tuition in mathematics from Prince Santhakumar, a teacher who would later become her husband. Rajagopal, however, had other plans. An astrologer had told him that Jeevajothi was destined to be his third wife and bring him fortune. He had already forced one of his cooks’ wives to become his second wife, and now, he wanted Jeevajothi.
Fearing that she might fall in love with Prince, Dosa King ordered her family to remove him as her brother’s tutor. When they refused, he used his power to retaliate. He dismissed her father from his job, forcing him to move to Malaysia for employment.
On April 28, 1998, an 18-year-old Jeevajothi eloped with Prince and married him. Rajagopal pretended to accept their marriage and even offered them a loan to start a business. But behind the scenes, he was plotting something much darker.
From Businessman to Murderer
A few days later, Jeevajothi had to be admitted to the hospital because she had fallen ill. During her medical tests, Rajagopal suddenly entered her room with his private doctors. Without permission, they read her records and insisted that she be transferred to another hospital. At the new hospital, doctors claimed she was fine but told Prince he needed a semen test. Soon after, Rajagopal’s goons abducted Prince and forced him to undergo medical tests, falsely declaring him HIV-positive.
Rajagopal then manipulated Jeevajothi, claiming Prince had married her for money and was using black magic to make her more glamorous. When she refused to believe him, he stormed into their house with her family, threatening them and demanding that she become his third wife or “learn to live with him quietly.”
Desperate, Prince and Jeevajothi tried to escape Chennai, but Rajagopal’s goons captured them. They were locked in a godown where Rajagopal and his men brutally assaulted Prince, warning them they had only a week to decide their fate. But help came from an unexpected source—Daniel, one of Rajagopal’s goons, who secretly advised Jeevajothi to file a complaint with the police commissioner of Chennai.
With Rajagopal’s goons surrounding their home, escaping was difficult, but they managed to flee to the commissioner’s office, filing a 30-page complaint. However, before the police could act, Rajagopal’s men betrayed them. Daniel, who pretended to help, led them into a trap where they were ambushed and beaten. Jeevajothi was separated from Prince and taken to a village where Dosa King forced tantriks to perform rituals to “remove the ghost of Prince from her.” Meanwhile, Prince escaped but was warned never to return to Chennai.
When Prince ignored the warning and reunited with Jeevajothi, Rajagopal demanded they sign blank papers, allowing him to forge statements withdrawing their complaint. Soon after, Rajagopal took them to a remote location and ordered his goons to kill Prince. This was the last time Jeevajothi saw her husband alive.
The Investigation and Trial
Many times, Rajagopal went to Jeevajothi to ask her to withdraw the case. One day, he gave her 6 lakh rupees, promised to pay her college fees, and offered her a manager position in Saravana Bhavan. But Jeevajothi refused and filed another police complaint against him, leading to Rajagopal’s arrest.
In 2004, a sessions court sentenced Rajagopal to 10 years in prison for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, stating that he had not intended to kill Prince. He was also fined 50 lakh rupees. However, Chennai police appealed the verdict, and in 2009, the Madras High Court convicted Rajagopal of murder, sentencing him to life imprisonment.
Despite the conviction, many Saravana Bhavan employees continued to stand by Rajagopal. He appealed to the Supreme Court, which granted him bail on health grounds, allowing him to remain free until the case was closed—an astonishing 10 years later. Finally, on March 29, 2019, the Supreme Court upheld his life sentence and ordered him to surrender immediately.
The Death of Rajagopal
By then, Rajagopal was 72 years old and suffering from diabetes. Four days before his surrender, he was admitted to a private hospital. On the same day he was supposed to surrender, his lawyer requested a delay, but he was instead transferred to the convict ward of the Chennai Government Hospital. Ten days later, Rajagopal suffered a heart attack and died.
His last wish was that all Saravana Bhavan outlets remain open on the day of his death. Even in his final moments, he refused to admit to his crimes.
After his death, Jeevajothi said, “I won’t forget what he did to me as long as I live. I can’t accept that he died without serving his prison term. So my wound remains a wound.”
Following the verdict, Jeevajothi shifted to Thanjavur, where she opened a tailoring shop. She has since expanded her business and now earns a living designing bridal dresses.
The Fall of the Dosa King
Rajagopal’s story is one of ambition, greed, and obsession—a tale of how power can corrupt even the most successful people. From serving world-famous dosas to orchestrating a brutal murder, his life is a chilling reminder that no one is above the law.
