Meerut murder: Accused went into ‘celebration’ mode during 15-Day Himachal trip
After disposing of the body, Muskan and Sahil booked a taxi for 15 days and travelled across Shimla, Manali, and Kasol. Their stay included Holi celebrations at a resort, and dancing at a nightclub.
New revelations in the murder of Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput have exposed chilling details of how accused Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla went into ‘celebration’ mode after the crime. Videos and photographs accessed by the police show the duo playing Holi, cutting a cake, and posing for pictures in snow-covered landscapes in Himachal Pradesh, just days after dismsembering Saurabh’s body.
After disposing of the body, Muskan and Sahil booked a taxi for 15 days and travelled across Shimla, Manali, and Kasol. Their stay included Holi celebrations at a resort, and dancing at a nightclub.
Meerut SP City Ayush Vikram Singh said police have visited multiple shops where Muskan purchased a knife, a drum, and medicines. A medical store owner, Amit Joshi, confirmed selling sleeping pills to Muskan after she presented a doctor’s prescription. An elderly man accompanying her falsely posed as her father. Police are now trying to locate him.
Investigations reveal that Muskan and Sahil were in a secret relationship. Their landlord had caught them in a compromising position in 2021, after which Saurabh learned about their affair. The duo primarily used Snapchat for communication and deleted chats before the crime. Their mobile phones, along with Saurabh’s, have been sent for forensic analysis.
Police found that the duo booked a cab from Shiva Tour & Travels in Meerut for ₹54,000, driven by Ajab Singh. To secure accommodation in Shimla, they posed as a married couple.
A police team is now planning to visit these locations with the accused and the taxi driver to reconstruct their movements and gather statements from people they interacted with.
An audio recording recovered by police features Muskan instructing a cab driver to deliver a cake to her hotel room. The duo continued their lavish stay until they ran out of funds and returned to Meerut.
Further investigations revealed that Saurabh had ₹6 lakh in a bank account. Before the murder, he withdrew the amount, distributing some to his family and ₹2 lakh to his wife. Muskan used part of this money to finance her trip with Sahil.
Meerut SSP Vipin Tanda stated, “The crime was premeditated. No evidence of black magic has surfaced so far. It is clear that the accused wanted to eliminate Saurabh to sustain their relationship. We are also probing claims of drug use by both accused. A detailed chargesheet will be filed soon.”
Sahil’s strained family ties
One of the major revelations is that Muskan’s lover, Sahil Shukla, lost his mother 16 years ago, after which his father, Neeraj, remarried. Sahil did not get along with his stepmother and chose to live with his maternal grandmother. However, he was currently residing in a rented room in Meerut. His stepmother, meanwhile, lives in Noida, according to a senior police officer involved in the investigation.