Muskan and Sahil to get one hour before sentencing; lawyers say it is their last chance to avoid the death penalty
The verdict in the high-profile Saurabh Rajput murder case will be announced in 13 days. Before the sentencing on October 14, Sahil and Muskan will have the opportunity to present their side before District Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra; a reduction in their sentence on humanitarian grounds is possible. The court has already convicted both of them based on substantial evidence.
DGC KK Chaubey stated that a year prior to the murder, Saurabh had initiated contact with Muskan to seek a divorce. This fact was included in the proceedings. It was argued that Saurabh had already wanted to divorce Muskan, and she could have lived with Sahil even after the divorce. Despite this, Muskan and Sahil conspired to murder Saurabh.
**Love marriage 11 years ago**
Saurabh Rajput, a resident of Indranagar (Brahmapuri), had a love marriage with Muskan Rastogi, a resident of Gauripura, 11 years ago. In 2019, the couple separated due to family disputes; that same year, Muskan gave birth to their daughter, Pihu. Meanwhile, Muskan met her former school classmate, Sahil Shukla (also an Indranagar resident), at Shaprix Mall. Muskan and Sahil grew close after Saurabh went abroad. Following Saurabh’s return from abroad, the duo plotted his murder, which was executed on February 24, 2025. On the night of March 3, they spiked Saurabh’s vegetable dish with a sedative liquid and subsequently killed him by stabbing him in the heart and neck.
They dismembered his body into four parts and encased the remains in cement inside a blue drum. Afterward, the pair went on a trip to Himachal. They returned on March 17; the crime was uncovered on March 18, and the police arrested Sahil and Muskan, sending them to jail on March 19. Convicted After 577 Days
Saurabh’s body was recovered from inside a drum based on information provided by the two accused. The police filed a charge sheet, and 577 days after the trial began, both were convicted. District Government Counsel (DGC) KK Chaubey stated that, given the substantial evidence, a demand for the death penalty would be made.
He mentioned that their counsel would be summoned an hour before the hearing on October 14 to present their side. Humanitarian grounds could potentially influence the sentencing, even though both have already been convicted based on solid evidence.
Refusal of Dinner Roti and Morning Breakfast
Since their conviction, Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla have been in a state of deep distress within the jail. Senior Jail Superintendent Viresh Raj Sharma reported that the two had eaten only one roti each the previous night and skipped breakfast the next morning. Muskan has also been reciting the ‘Sundarkand’ while thinking of her daughter.
Neither of them was able to utter a word before the District Judge at the time the verdict was delivered. Since then, both have been under immense mental stress; a psychiatrist is being called in to provide counseling.
