Cops Share Key Details On Meerut Murder, Black Magic, Money Transfers

The police in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, have shared their key findings in the murder of a former Merchant Navy officer allegedly by his wife and her lover. Saurabh Rajput's body - chopped up into 15 pieces - was found in a drum sealed with cement. He was killed on March 4, more than a week after he had returned from abroad to celebrate his daughter's birthday. His wife Muskaan Rastogi and friend Sahil Shukla, with whom she had an extramarital affair, were later arrested.

A top police officer overseeing the probe has answered 10 questions after the grisly murder sparked speculation over black magic, Muskaan's alcohol addiction, and her alleged aspiration to make it big in Bollywood.

Ayush Vikram Singh, the Superintendent of Police, Meerut City said the police are still investigating the motive and shared the evidence so far collected.

The officer said Muskaan and Sahil had confessed to killing Saurabh. They sealed the victim's body in a drum with cement and fled to Himachal Pradesh. When they returned two days later, they were taken into custody. They admitted their crime during questioning. The weapon used in the murder has also been recovered.

The Extramarital Affair

Muskaan and Saurabh had a love marriage in 2016, but their joy was short-lived.

Mr Singh said Saurabh learnt about Muskaan's affair back in 2021. Their landlord had informed him after spotting Muskaan and Sahil in an "objectionable" situation.

"During her interrogation, Muskaan said that she was in an illicit relationship with Sahil since 2019. Saurabh was aware of this and had filed for divorce in 2021. But his family had convinced him to stay with his wife," said the SP.

Muskaan has claimed that Sahil was a liquor addict, which often led to quarrels between them. Sahil was also in a financial crunch and her family used to bear his expenses, including rent, she told the police.

An Earlier Attempt

Her family had earlier accused Sahil of getting her addicted to drugs. The police have confirmed that they consumed liquor as frequently as they met, but Muskaan claimed she used to drink even before she met Sahil.

"Since 2023, Saurabh worked at a bakery in London. He came back to India on February 24. The accused tried to kill him on February 25 but could not succeed. They finally executed their plan on March 3," said Mr Singh.

Mr Singh said that two teams have been formed to probe the murder. The police have identified the shop from where they bought the drum and other materials allegedly used in the murder, and the shopkeeper has been questioned.

The officer said a police team would leave for Shimla soon to collect more evidence.

"We are collecting information about the places where they went outside Shimla, their phones have been sent for forensic test...so that we can file a chargesheet as soon as possible and give them the harshest punishment through the court," said Mr Singh.

Black Magic?

The severed pieces of the victim's body had raised suspicion that there could be a black magic angle, but the officer said no such evidence had been found. It was a well-planned murder, and the black magic angle could be misdirection, he said.

"This was a murder carried out after a well-thought-out conspiracy. To dispose of the body, they could have planned to get rid of the drum as well. They will be questioned what they were going to do with the drum," said Mr Singh.

Allegations Over Money

Muskaan claimed that Saurabh had Rs 6 lakh in his account, and out of fear that the money could be seized, he had transferred Rs 1 lakh to her account and about one and a half lakh to his mother's account. The officer said her claims are being verified. They are also checking when Saurabh had gone to London and his activities there.

Saurabh's job in the Merchant Navy and claims that he did not continue education beyond school are yet to be verified.

On Saurabh's family alleging that his in-laws used his money to buy a house and other expensive gadgets, the officer said if such evidence is found it will be added to the charges against the accused.

The murder came to light after Muskaan and Sahil returned from Shimla. Their landlord had sent labourers to vacate the house. When asked about the heavy drum, Muskaan had said it was full of junk and left for her parents' house. But finding a foul smell, they suspected something amiss and called the police.

Muskaan confessed to her mother, who reported her to the police.

Asked whether the victim's daughter knew about her father's death, his mother Renu Devi said the six-year-old girl had been telling neighbours, "Papa is in the drum." "She must have seen something."