In a chilling case from Meerut, merchant navy officer Saurabh Rajput, 29, was brutally killed in a premeditated plot orchestrated by his wife, Muskan Rastogi, 27, and her lover, Sahil Shukla, 27. The investigation has revealed a story of betrayal, calculated planning, and a descent into obsession.
The Birth of a Deadly Plan
Police reports indicate that the murder plot began in November 2024. Muskan and Sahil, determined to rid themselves of Saurabh, carefully planned the crime. They scouted local villages, looking for spots where dead animals were buried, believing these secluded locations would be perfect for hiding a body.
Gathering the Tools for Murder
On February 22, Muskan visited a doctor on Sharda Road, pretending to suffer from depression, to obtain a prescription for sleeping pills. Unsatisfied with the prescription alone, she researched more about sedatives and even forged additional drug names onto the document. Together with Sahil, they then went to Khairnagar, where they bought a mix of sleeping pills and sedatives, along with meat-cutting knives priced at ₹800, a ₹300 razor, and several polythene bags—items they planned to use for the murder.
The Murder and Aftermath
On March 3, as Saurabh returned home with a meal of ‘lauki ke kofte’ prepared by his mother, Renu, Muskan saw her chance. She reheated his dish and mixed in the sedatives. Once Saurabh was rendered unconscious, she called Sahil to join her at their rented home in Indira Nagar. What followed was a grisly attack; the pair repeatedly stabbed Saurabh until he died, according to SP (City) Ayush Vikram Singh.
After the murder, the couple dragged Saurabh’s body to the bathroom. Sahil used a razor to sever his head and cut off his hands. Their initial plan was to dismember the body, pack the pieces in polythene bags, and hide them in different locations. They began by storing the torso in a bag inside the double bed’s box, where Muskan slept that night, just above her husband’s remains. Meanwhile, Sahil kept the head and hands in his room for about 24 hours.
A Concrete Cover-Up
By March 5, the conspirators changed their disposal strategy. They purchased a large blue drum from Ghantaghar and cement from a local market. Returning to Muskan’s home, they placed the torso inside the drum. Later, Sahil retrieved the head and hands and added them to the drum. Finally, they mixed cement and dust to seal the drum, effectively creating a concrete grave for Saurabh’s dismembered body—a method that police believe might have been inspired by films.
The Motives Behind the Crime
Investigators have identified Muskan as the mastermind behind the killing. The couple married in 2016, but their relationship deteriorated over time. Despite Saurabh’s efforts to save the marriage—including not pursuing a divorce in 2021 for the sake of their six-year-old daughter—Muskan had fallen for Sahil, an old acquaintance. Reports suggest that her family noticed a significant weight loss of 10 kg, which they initially attributed to missing Saurabh during his trips to London. However, it later emerged that Sahil had introduced Muskan to drugs like charas and smack, deepening her dependency and involvement in the crime.
Sahil’s own troubled mental state also played a part. His room, decorated with strange paintings—one of which featured an alien with the phrase “You cannot trip with us”—suggests a mind troubled by paranoia. Authorities believe that his drug use and possibly a belief in spirits, manipulated by Muskan using fake Snapchat identities, led him to think that Saurabh’s death was a necessary “sacrifice” for his late mother’s peace.
The Discovery and Arrest
The crime might have remained hidden if not for a series of missteps. After sealing the body in the drum, Muskan and Sahil fled to Himachal Pradesh, posing as tourists. Upon their return on March 17, suspicions arose when a landlord, recalling a previous compromising encounter, insisted they vacate the property. Labourers, noting the heavy drum and a foul odor, began to piece together the truth. A confession from Muskan to her mother—triggered by a failed attempt to access Saurabh’s ₹6 lakh bank account—ultimately led the police to uncover the evidence.
The discovery at the scene was horrifying: the drum, solidified with cement, had to be sent intact to the mortuary, where it took hours to reveal Saurabh’s remains.
Awaiting Justice
According to SSP Vipin Tada, the motive was clear: Saurabh had become an impediment to Muskan and Sahil’s illicit relationship. With both now in custody, the tragic loss has left a grieving family seeking justice, with Muskan’s own parents calling for the harshest punishment.
This case stands as a stark reminder of how love, jealousy, and desperation can converge to create an unthinkable act of violence.