NEW DELHI: Muskan Rastogi, accused of murdering her husband Saurabh Rajput with the help of her lover Sahil Shukla has requested a government-appointed defense lawyer after her family refused to support her, news agency ANI reported on Saturday.
With her relatives unwilling to assist in the case, she turned to the state for legal aid.
Senior jail superintendent Viresh Raj Sharma confirmed the request, stating, “Yesterday, Muskan wanted to meet me, I called her. She said that her family is upset and won’t fight her case. So, she is provided with a government Defense Counsel. We are sending a plea to the court because it is the right of the inmate.”
Meanwhile, her parents have taken a strong stance against her, demanding the death penalty for both Muskan and her alleged accomplice, Sahil.
Since their incarceration at Chaudhary Charan Singh district jail last Wednesday, Muskan and Sahil have reportedly struggled to adapt to prison life. Jail officials revealed that the two are exhibiting signs of extreme distress, including difficulty sleeping and a refusal to eat or drink.
While some speculate they may be experiencing remorse, officials believe their condition stems from drug withdrawal.
“Both Sahil and Muskan have been taking drugs for a long time. Due to this, they are having problems of restlessness and are not even able to sleep at night,” said Sharma.
Doctors have prescribed medication to help manage their withdrawal symptoms, and a special team has been assigned to monitor their condition. Police investigations confirmed that both accused were habitual drug and alcohol users.
Neither Muskan nor Sahil has received any visitors since their arrest, according to jail authorities.
The case dates back to March 4, when Saurabh Rajput, an ex-merchant navy officer, was allegedly drugged and fatally stabbed by Muskan and Sahil. His body was then dismembered and sealed inside a drum with cement. Following the murder, the accused duo went on a vacation to Himachal Pradesh while deceiving Rajput’s family by sending them messages from his phone.
The crime came to light on March 18 when the family reported the matter to the police, leading to their arrest.
Muskan and Rajput had been married since 2016, despite opposition from his family, and had a six-year-old daughter. Police revealed that Muskan and Sahil had known each other since school and reconnected in 2019 through a WhatsApp group.
