The district court has delivered a major verdict in the Meerut ‘blue drum’ murder case. Muskan, the accused wife of Saurabh Rajput, and her lover, Sahil Shukla, have been sentenced to death for his murder.
मेरठ नीला ड्रम हत्याकांड में सनातनी मुस्कान रस्तोगीऔर साहिल शुक्ला को अदालत ने दी सजा-ए-मौत
The district court delivered a major verdict today, October 14, 2026, in the high-profile ‘Blue Drum Murder Case’ of Uttar Pradesh. The judgment followed proceedings that spanned approximately 13 months, involving 127 hearings and testimonies from over 22 witnesses. The district court sentenced both accused—Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla—to death by hanging.
The court had previously convicted Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla for the murder of Saurabh Rajput, a former Merchant Navy employee. It has now pronounced the final sentence for both. They are currently lodged in Meerut’s Chaudhary Charan Singh Jail.
Appearance via Video Conferencing
Before the sentencing, the court questioned both convicts via video conferencing on Wednesday morning. The judge asked if they wished to say anything; however, both declined to speak.
The Saurabh Rajput Murder Case
The murder of Saurabh Rajput in Meerut in March 2025 had shocked the entire nation. Saurabh’s wife, Muskan Rastogi, and her lover, Sahil Shukla, were named as the accused in the case. It was alleged that the two conspired to kill Saurabh, dismembered his body, placed the remains in a blue drum, and sealed it with cement. Saurabh, who lived abroad, had returned to India on leave to celebrate the birthdays of his wife, Muskan, and his daughter; he was murdered during this visit.
Upon returning to Meerut from abroad in the last week of February 2025, Saurabh Rajput discovered the illicit relationship between his wife, Muskan Rastogi, and her lover, Sahil Shukla. As Saurabh stood as an obstacle to their relationship, Muskan and Sahil hatched a gruesome plot to kill him. On the night of March 3, 2025, Muskan spiked Saurabh’s food with a sedative and summoned Sahil to the house once Saurabh had lost consciousness. Subsequently, the two conspired to kill Saurabh by slitting his throat and then dismembered his body in the bathroom to conceal the evidence. The next day, they purchased a large blue drum, cement, and sand; they placed the body parts inside the drum, filled it with a cement slurry, and sealed it completely to prevent any foul odor from escaping.
Immediately after the murder, Muskan left her daughter at her maternal home and went on a trip to Shimla and Manali with Sahil, enjoying herself there for about 13 days. During this time, she used Saurabh’s phone and social media accounts to create the impression that he was still alive. She had told her family members that she was going on a trip with Saurabh. Upon returning from Himachal, when her daughter insisted on seeing her father, Muskan misled both the child and other family members by claiming that Saurabh had to return abroad unexpectedly. However, suspicions regarding the matter began to mount amidst the daughter’s persistent demands and the family’s questioning.
The murder case came to light on March 18, 2025, when Saurabh’s brother, Rahul, visited their home. Rahul became suspicious due to Sahil’s presence in the house and a strange, foul odor emanating from within. When the police were informed and a search of the house was conducted, the blue drum was opened, revealing the mutilated remains of Saurabh’s body. Acting swiftly, the police arrested Muskan and Sahil. Following a speedy legal process and trial, the court convicted both accused of this heinous murder, and today, the court sentenced them both to death.
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