Meerut murder: Muskan Rastogi seeks govt lawyer, says family has disowned her

MEERUT: Muskan Rastogi, accused of killing her husband and hiding his body in a cement-filled drum, has approached jail authorities this week requesting legal assistance from govt saying her family had cut off all support to her. Muskan, the main accused in the murder of Saurabh Rajput, a former merchant navy officer, met Chaudhary Charan Singh district jail SSP Dr Viresh Raj Sharma to make the request in person.
Sharma told TOI, "Muskan asked to meet me in person, and when I called her, she asked me to provide legal aid as her family is angry with her. It is her right to get an advocate if no one turns up to defend her in court." In contrast, co-accused Sahil Shukla declined the offer of legal assistance, saying his parents might still pursue the case on his behalf.
The appeal came a day after jail officials confirmed that both accused were showing signs of severe drug withdrawal and were being treated separately in different barracks — about 1.5 km apart — since Wednesday. A senior official said they were being kept under observation, and while Rastogi had been "demanding injections," Shukla appeared increasingly restless for marijuana.
Officials have also turned down their request to be housed in closer proximity. No family member has visited either of them so far. Rastogi, according to officials, has been eating little and spending most of her time sitting quietly in a corner, while Shukla has shown visible signs of discomfort and agitation. They are being held in barrack 12, usually reserved for women undertrials, and barrack 18 of the prison's reception centre, respectively. A medical team is administering anti-addiction medicines, and jail officials estimate it will take around 10 days for the two to stabilise.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, officials from the drug department raided Usha Medical Store in Khair Nagar. Piyush Sharma, drug inspector, Meerut, told TOI, "We are probing what medicines they are selling and how they are giving medicines. If we find any loopholes, an FIR will be lodged against the medical store, or his licence will be revoked."
Investigations so far suggest Rastogi and Shukla reconnected in 2019 and began using drugs together over the years. Police also said they found tantric symbols, satanic graffiti, and cryptic writings in Shukla's room, pointing to an alleged obsession with black magic.
Rajput, who had recently returned to India from London to celebrate his wife's birthday, was allegedly killed on the night of March 4 in his rented apartment in Brahmpuri. His head was severed and the body was hidden in a drum filled with cement, where it remained for nearly two weeks. Following the killing, Muskan and Sahil are believed to have left for a 12-day holiday in Himachal Pradesh.