After the murder of Saurabh Rajput, a former Merchant Navy official, came to light, their neighbours have opened up about accused Muskaan Rastogi's isolated life at their home in Meerut and how she never interacted with any of her neighbours. Muskaan is Saurabh's wife and is accused of killing and chopping up Saurabh with the help of her lover Sahil Shukla.
Neighbours said Saurabh Rajput rented the house for Muskaan and their child. Saurabh was in the Merchant Navy and was home rarely. Muskan and her lover Sahil committed this horrific crime in this rented house.
A neighbour, identified by the local website UP Tak as Vikas, said Muskaan never spoke much to neighbours. "She had only one visitor who used to come at night," Vikas added.
Another neighbour Komal told UP Tak that she used to come out of the house only to run errands or get things. "We didn't see much of the child either. Every time the kid came out to play, Muskaan would come and forcibly take her inside," Komal added. She identified Muskaan's regular visitor as a "man who wore his hair in a ponytail".
Radha Goyal, who lived near Muskaan, also claimed that she saw her come out of the house only four to five times in the last 2 years. "She did not even come out on any festivals and had no relatives visiting her," Goyal added.
Sahil's grandmother's statement
Sahil Shukla's grandmother has told the police that his mother died 18 years ago. She added that Sahil's father was working in Noida, but had no clue as to what work he did. She also acknowledged that Sahil used to take drugs and alcohol. He never introduced her to any girl, the elderly woman added.
Muskaan's parents want her 'to be hanged'
Muskaan Rastogi's parents who have expressed shock at the turn of events told reporters that their daughter deserves to be punished.
Pramod Kumar Rastogi and Kavita Rastogi told NDTV India that Muskaan deserved the harshest punishment for murdering Saurabh, who was "blindly in love with her".
Kavita added that Muskaan came to meet her after her Manali trip. "She confessed that she had killed Saurabh and we immediately took her to the police station," she added. "Our daughter was the problem. She first separated from Saurabh and now killed him."
"He (Saurabh) put everything at stake, left his parents, property worth crores. He was our son too," she added. "She should be hanged. She has lost the right to live."
The parents said Muskaan used to take drugs and had lost almost 10 kg after Saurabh left for London. "We thought that she was upset because she was away from Saurabh. We did not know that Sahil was forcing her to take drugs," Kavitha added.
