Meerut: In a striking development from the high-profile Meerut murder case, Muskan Rastogi, a 28-year-old woman accused of murdering her ex-merchant navy officer husband, Saurabh Rajput along with her lover Sahil Shukla has expressed her desire to study law while in prison, reported the Times of India.
She aims to represent herself in court.
This follows her reported dissatisfaction with her current legal representation. The case continues to garner national attention due to its chilling details and the unexpected turn in Muskan’s legal strategy.
What Happened to Saurabh Rajput?
Muskan Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla were arrested in March 2025 for the murder of Saurabh Rajput, 35, Muskan’s husband and a former merchant navy officer. The murder was discovered on March 18, when Rajput’s dismembered and cement-sealed body was recovered from a blue plastic drum in their residence in Brahmpuri, Meerut.
Investigations revealed the following sequence:
February 24: Saurabh returned from London.
March 3: He was stabbed fatally in the chest at night.
His body was cut up, stuffed into a drum, and sealed with cement to hide the smell.
Sahil allegedly decapitated the victim and carried the severed head in a bag.
The couple then fled to Himachal Pradesh, touring Shimla, Manali, and Kasol, and even celebrated Sahil’s birthday in Manali shortly after the murder.
A Strong Case Against Muskan and Sahil
The police filed a 1,000-page chargesheet against the duo, 69 days after the body was found. The chargesheet includes:
- Testimonies from 34 witnesses including hotel staff, family members, police personnel, a taxi driver, and a chemist.
- Forensic and digital evidence tracing the couple’s post-crime movements.
- Statements from Muskan’s own parents, Kavita and Pramod Rastogi, holding her accountable for the crime.
- One particularly disturbing detail is that Muskan was pregnant at the time of her routine medical check-up in jail.
Muskan’s Legal Ambition: Studying Law from Jail
Frustrated with her current legal counsel, Muskan has requested permission from Chaudhary Charan Singh District Jail authorities to pursue legal studies and represent herself in court.
However, officials clarified that Muskan has not studied beyond Class 8. To study law (LLB), she must first complete her senior secondary education (Class 12).
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) offers distance education programmes accessible within the prison system, which could help her complete the required qualifications.
“Muskan has shown interest in studying law. If she is serious, we will provide all necessary educational resources. However, she must first clear her school-level exams,” Jail Superintendent Viresh Raj Sharma told Times of India.
“Notably, no family members have visited her since her arrest, while Sahil Shukla has received visits from his maternal grandmother and brother,” he added.
Muskan’s wish to represent herself in a trial involving a gruesome and complex crime is rare but not unprecedented. Indian law permits self-representation, but it requires a basic understanding of court procedure and legal framework—something formal education in law could facilitate.
