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Six months after Saurabh was found murdered, his family wants a DNA test to establish if the child his wife Muskan, who is accused of killing him, is carrying is his
27-year-old Muskan Rastogi from Meerut was arrested for the brutal murder of her husband, Saurabh Rajput.
Six months after the sensational murder of Merchant Navy officer Saurabh, the case has once again grabbed headlines — not because of fresh evidence or a courtroom twist, but over a new question: Who is the father of Muskan Rastogi’s unborn child? With Muskan six and a half months pregnant in jail, Saurabh’s family has demanded a DNA test to establish the baby’s paternity.
On 3 March 2025, Saurabh was killed in Meerut. His mutilated body, chopped into four pieces and stuffed inside a blue plastic drum, was recovered 15 days later on 18 March. The next day, police arrested his wife Muskan Rastogi and her boyfriend Sahil Shukla, charging them with murder and conspiracy. Both were sent to jail.
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Now, amid the ongoing trial, it has emerged that Muskan, lodged in jail, is six and a half months pregnant. Her ultrasound report indicates that she is due to deliver in November. The revelation has sparked an emotional and legal storm, not only because of the circumstances of her pregnancy but also because no one knows for sure whether the child belongs to her slain husband, Saurabh or to her alleged accomplice, Sahil.
Family Demands DNA Test
Saurabh’s family has demanded a DNA test after the child is born. For them, the question is not just of identity but of legacy. Rahul alias Bablu, Saurabh’s elder brother, said, “Muskan betrayed my brother and then murdered him. But blood is blood. If the child is Saurabh’s, then it is our bloodline. We will raise him or her ourselves. We cannot let our brother’s last sign be shadowed by Muskan.”
Rahul said that the police should ensure a DNA test immediately after delivery. “If the child is Saurabh’s, we will appeal in court to take custody and will not allow him to spend even a single day in jail with Muskan. But if the child belongs to Sahil, then he should take responsibility. Either way, Muskan should face the strictest punishment for what she has done,” he added.
No Forgiveness For Muskan
Despite the emotional claim over the unborn child, Saurabh’s family has made it clear that there is no space for Muskan in their lives. “Even if she is the biological mother, we will never accept her. She destroyed our family. We want her to rot in jail. But if this child is indeed Saurabh’s, then we will raise the child away from Muskan’s shadow,” Rahul said firmly.
He also questioned the circumstances of the pregnancy. According to him, Saurabh was in Meerut only briefly before his murder — from 24 February until his death on 3 March. “He was here just for a week. Muskan and Sahil killed him soon after. We don’t believe she could have conceived from Saurabh during those days. This is most likely Sahil’s child,” he alleged.
The Other Side
Muskan’s parents, however, have drawn their own line. Currently, they are raising Muskan’s eight-year-old daughter, Pihu, from her marriage with Saurabh. The grandparents — Pramod and Kavita Rastogi, who live in Brahmpuri — say they want nothing to do with their daughter anymore.
“For us, Muskan is dead. We will never meet her again. But we will raise Pihu ourselves. She has always been with us and will remain with us,” they said.
They also reject the charge that they kept Pihu away from her father’s family. “Even when Saurabh was alive, his family never came to see her. Now they are talking about custody, but they have never approached us to meet her,” Muskan’s parents claimed.
The Child Belongs To Muskan
While the emotional tug-of-war continues, legal experts underline that the law is clear. Senior advocate S Mohammed Haider, with the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, said the pregnancy has ignited a storm of public sentiment. Yet, amidst this cacophony, the matter must be adjudicated strictly within the solemn confines of the law, particularly the jurisprudence governing the guardianship of Hindu minors and the rights of incarcerated mothers.
“The Hon’ble Supreme Court, in R.D. Upadhyaya v. State of Andhra Pradesh (Civil Writ Petition No. 559 of 1994), has enunciated humane and binding guidelines for pregnant undertrials. These include the right of a mother to retain her child within prison till the age of six, provisions for surrogate care thereafter, and dietary provisions to be ensured by the government. In Uttar Pradesh, the Jail Manual further ensures nutritional support and dignified custodial arrangements. It is imperative that the rule of law, not public conjecture, prevails — safeguarding both maternal dignity and the welfare of the unborn and infant child,” Haider pointed out.
He further said that even if DNA proves the child to be Saurabh’s, custody will not automatically shift to his family. The child will remain with Muskan until the age of six, whether she is in jail or outside. Only after six years can Muskan decide to give the child to her parents or in-laws.
In case of her death before then, the court will decide custody between the paternal and maternal families. This means that, despite the demands from Saurabh’s brother, the child will initially remain with Muskan, at least for the first few years of life.
September 05, 2025, 15:44 IST
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