Sahil Shukla, one of the two people accused of the murder of merchant navy officer Saurabh Rajput, used the victim’s money to engage in gambling activities, sources in the police department said. They said he used to bet on cricket matches and used the winnings to fund a lavish lifestyle for himself and Muskan Rastogi, the other accused and Saurabh’s wife.
According to the sources, Sahil placed his bets through bookies, the identities of whom are currently under investigation. The money he won was reportedly spent on funding his trips to Rishikesh and Dehradun with Muskan. Sahil’s neighbours also claimed that he had no regular job and relied heavily on gambling earnings to sustain his lifestyle.
Sahil bet on IPL matches
According to police sources, Saurabh too sent around ₹1 lakh to Muskan every month for her and their daughter. Whenever these funds were transferred to Muskan’s account, she would inform Sahil, who then used the money to place bets on cricket matches. Police have also uncovered that Sahil had been betting on IPL matches for years and was preparing to wager more money on the upcoming season before his arrest landed him in jail.
Superintendent of police (City) Ayush Vikram Singh said, “While working in London, Saurabh often sent money to Muskan for her expenses. Just before his murder, he had transferred ₹1 lakh to her account.” The police are now probing Sahil’s gambling activities further and plan to include these details in their investigation during his remand, the official said.
The murder plot itself came to light after interrogations with Sahil and Muskan, who confessed to planning Saurabh’s killing as early as November last year. They disclosed details about the items they gathered for the crime and where they sourced them from.
As the investigation deepens, police have identified nine individuals linked to the case, including four shopkeepers, a doctor, a chemist, a cab driver, a tenant, and an account holder who received money transfers. So far, the Meerut police have questioned seven of these suspects. SP Singh confirmed that these individuals were being questioned to uncover further details.
Saurabh’s mother appeals to PM Modi, CM Yogi for justice
The mother of Saurabh Rajput, who was allegedly murdered by his wife Muskan Rastogi and her rumoured partner Sahil Shukla, has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Yogi Adityanath to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, and urged for death penalty for the culprits.
Rajput’s mother also demanded that she would like to take the custody of their granddaughter as she feared for her safety. “I want justice. I want that the culprits get death penalty. I would like to appeal to PM Modi and CM Yogi that a thorough investigation should be held in the case and justice should prevail. Whether the investigation happens through the crime branch or the CBI, I want to know each and everything, and the reason behind the murder,” Rajput’s mother Renu Devi said on Saturday.
Saurabh was working in the merchant navy and was allegedly murdered by his wife and Sahil on March 4. His body was hacked, dumped in a drum and covered with cement.
The mother claimed that they have not seen the granddaughter since the murder of their son. “We have a granddaughter, we want to see her and we want her. If she [Muskan] can murder her husband, then what cannot she do to the little girl,” Rajput’s mother said.
The mother added that she did not hear of any marital or other problems from her son when he came to meet her on the night of March 3. “If there were problems, then he [Saurabh] would have said something. He was not drunk when he came. I was angry with him for coming late and letting the food go cold, but he said he would go back and eat with his wife.”
Meanwhile, Muskan’s parents too have sought capital punishment for her.
“When Muskan and I were going to the police station, I told her to tell me the truth. She confessed that she and a friend of hers had killed her husband… I took her to the police station and asked her to tell the truth… The verdict, in this case, should come fast, and I don’t want anything less than capital punishment for her… my son-in-law should get justice,” said Muskan’s father.
