Lagatar24 Desk
Meerut: In a chilling case of manipulation, deception, and premeditated murder, a Merchant Navy officer, Saurabh Rajput, was brutally killed by his wife, Muskaan Rastogi, and her lover, Sahil Shukla, on March 4. The accused allegedly drugged and stabbed Rajput to death before chopping his body into 15 pieces and sealing it in a cement-filled drum to dispose of it discreetly.
A Sinister Plot: Manipulation Through Snapchat
Investigators revealed that Muskaan hatched the murder plan in November and manipulated Sahil into executing it. Exploiting his drug addiction, she created a fake Snapchat account, posing as Sahil’s deceased mother.
• Through Snapchat messages, she convinced Sahil that his mother had reincarnated and was communicating with him.
• She controlled his thoughts and actions, ultimately convincing him that killing her husband was his destiny.
Months of Preparation
Muskaan’s meticulously planned murder involved:
✔ Purchasing two knives days before the crime, claiming she needed them to cut chicken.
✔ Feigning anxiety to obtain prescription drugs to render her husband unconscious.
✔ Scouting locations to bury his body under the pretext of needing a site for a religious ritual.
On February 25, she spiked Saurabh’s drink, but he did not consume it. However, on March 4, she successfully drugged him before she and Sahil stabbed him to death.
Cover-Up and Failed Escape Plan
After the murder, Muskaan attempted to cover up her crime:
✔ She told everyone Saurabh had gone on a trip to a hill station.
✔ She and Sahil went to Manali, using Saurabh’s phone to post fake updates and text his family.
✔ She assumed that since Saurabh was estranged from his family, they wouldn’t question his disappearance.
However, his family became suspicious after failing to reach him directly and lodged a police complaint. Upon returning from Manali, Muskaan and Sahil were arrested, and she confessed to her parents.
A Drug-Fueled Crime Scene
Police also uncovered that Sahil’s rented house was a possible drug den:
• Walls adorned with murals of Satan, drug-related imagery, and eerie symbols.
• Empty beer cans, drug paraphernalia, and graffiti referencing narcotics use.
Investigation Continues
The police are further investigating the role of drugs in influencing the accused and whether others were involved. Both Muskaan and Sahil have been charged with murder, criminal conspiracy, and evidence tampering under relevant sections of the IPC.
