English 
हिन्दी 
First, a gruesome murder. Then, holidaying and celebrating Holi in Himachal Pradesh before returning to Meerut. This is what Muskan Rastogi and her partner in crime Sahil Shukla, both aged 27 years, were up to before the murder of Muskan’s husband and merchant navy officer Saurabh Rajput came to light on March 18, police officials investigating the crime said.
Police findings indicate that the murder was months in the making. Muskan had researched sedatives online and procured them discreetly, the investigators said.
Saurabh had returned to Meerut from London on February 24 to reunite with his family and celebrate two significant occasions: Muskan’s birthday on February 27 and their daughter’s sixth birthday the day after. A recovered video footage shows the three rejoicing at a restaurant.
Behind the scenes, however, a conspiracy was in play. Police investigation suggested that Muskan and Sahil had made two prior attempts to eliminate Saurabh—first on February 25 and then on February 28—but failed, sources in the department said.
Saurabh’s murder took place at the couple’s rented accommodation in Meerut’s Indiranagar on the night of March 4. Muskan allegedly laced her husband’s food—bottle gourd curry—with sleeping pills. After he slept, Muskan summoned Sahil, and together, they carried out the murder.
A senior police officer privy to the investigation said Muskan hesitated initially, but on Sahil’s command, she stabbed Saurabh in the heart thrice.
Later, Sahil took Saurabh’s severed head and hands to his house, located in the same locality. During the investigation, police discovered graffiti, tantric symbols, and liquor cans there. He later brought the body parts back to Muskan’s house for final concealment.
Just hours after the murder, on March 5, the duo left Meerut to vacation in Himachal Pradesh, where they visited Manali, Kasol, and Shimla. To reach Himachal, they hired a taxi from Delhi, the official said, adding the trip was a premeditated move to establish their alibi.
It was during this time that Muskan used Saurabh’s phone to send misleading messages to his family. She also shared pictures on her Instagram.
In some of the photos found on her phone, she can be seen celebrating Holi with Sahil somewhere in Himachal.
Upon their return, Muskan’s landlord, who had already grown suspicious of her, demanded that the family vacate the property. It was the people who were helping the family move out who noticed a foul odour emanating from an unusually heavy drum.
Meerut Range DIG Kalanidhi Naithani described the case as an “extremely heinous offence”. He confirmed that police would soon prepare a charge sheet and ensure stringent legal proceedings to secure the strictest punishment for the accused.
Anatomy of a room
At Sahil’s residence, police were first greeted by a poster conveying a message that can be roughly translated to, “Salt as per taste, arrogance as per status”. The walls also hosted posters of deities along with a painting—of a lone young woman and a man descending a rope to reach her. Scattered around were several empty beer bottles even as his pet cat prowled the room, police said.
Superintendent of police Ayush Vikram Singh said after the murder, Sahil brought Saurabh’s severed head to this room. The space had now been mapped, forensically examined, and sealed to preserve evidence, but not before locals swarmed there to capture visuals.
Sahil and Muskan are now in judicial custody. His room, sealed to prevent tampering, remains a focal point as forensic teams sift through its contents.
An ‘unhinged’ mind
Described by neighbours as shrewd and unpredictable, he revelled in projecting a thuggish image of himself. “The beer bottles hint at a cavalier attitude, while the painting suggests a romanticised view of clandestine affairs—perhaps a reflection of his relationship with Muskan. The religious posters, meanwhile, clash starkly with his actions, raising questions about a fractured moral compass or a deliberate facade,” said a senior psychologist who has been following the case.
‘Duo spoke on Snapchat’
Sahil’s role in the murder was pivotal. Police believed he and Muskan, who communicated via Snapchat and deleted their chats, planned the killing meticulously. Muskan procured sleeping pills, mezolam and poultry knives. The drum, bought from Ghantaghar, was filled with cement to hide Saurabh’s remains.
The viral poster seems less like a quirky statement and more like a taunt. “[Sahil] wanted people to know he wasn’t to be trifled with,” a police source speculated, noting how his online persona mirrored his real-life ruthlessness.
Meanwhile, Saurabh’s family demanded death penalty for Sahil and Muskan. “He [Sahil] deserves to be hanged for what he did,” Saurabh’s mother Renu Devi said.
