Meerut 'blue drum' murder: Wife, partner convicted for killing husband

• Muskan Rastogi, Sahil Shukla convicted of Saurabh Rajput murder; body concealed in blue drum

• 13-month trial, 126 hearings; prosecution examined 22 witnesses; chargesheet ran to around 1,000 pages

• Sentencing after 15-day submission period; prosecution seeks maximum punishment

A Meerut district court on Wednesday, 30 September convicted Muskan Rastogi and her partner Sahil Shukla of murdering merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput, Muskan’s husband, and concealing his body in the sensational ‘blue drum’ case.

The verdict brought the 13-month trial to a close after 126 hearings. The court will decide the quantum of sentence after giving the two convicts 15 days to make their submissions.

District judge Arvind Mishra, while pronouncing the verdict, said, "There is no place in a civilised society for such crimes."

Government counsel Krishna Kumar Chaubey said the court had referred to a Supreme Court ruling while stressing the need for appropriate punishment in serious crimes.

"The court has held Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla guilty of the murder of Saurabh Rajput and, while referring to a Supreme Court order, observed that perpetrators of such heinous and serious crimes should receive appropriate punishment so that a message goes out in society that the rule of law prevails," Chaubey told reporters.

Muskan and Sahil, who are lodged in a local jail, joined the proceedings virtually. Rajput’s mother and brother were present in court when the verdict was pronounced.

The prosecution has sought the maximum punishment. Chaubey said the court was competent to award the death penalty, but the final decision would rest with the judge after hearing the convicts on sentencing. "This is the beauty of our legal system that even an accused is given an opportunity to present his or her version before the court in relation to the sentence," he said.

The prosecution examined 22 witnesses during the trial, including people linked to the purchase of the blue drum, cement, knife and utensils allegedly used in the crime.

"The 22 witnesses who were useful for proving our prosecution case were examined. These included the medicine seller, the person from whom the drum was purchased, the person from whom cement was purchased and the person connected with the purchase of the knife and utensils," Chaubey said.

Hotel managers and records were also examined to establish the accused’s movements and stays at different locations, while cab drivers were questioned about their movements, he said.

The case relates to the killing of Rajput on 3 March 2025. According to the prosecution, Muskan and Sahil killed him, dismembered his body and placed the remains inside a blue drum, which was subsequently filled with cement. The remains were later discovered at the couple’s house, leading to the arrests of Muskan and Sahil, who was allegedly her partner.

The trial began in July 2025 in the district judge’s court. Police filed a chargesheet running to around 1,000 pages. Final arguments concluded on 17 September, after which the court fixed 30 September for the verdict.

Chaubey said the two convicts appeared to have been mentally prepared for a conviction, with both displaying a "defeated" demeanour. He said changes had been observed in their behaviour in the days before the verdict. Sahil had remained quiet and withdrawn for around four days, while both had spent much of the previous three days praying.

The case will now move to the sentencing stage, with the court to hear the submissions of Muskan and Sahil before deciding their punishment. Rajput’s family members demanded stringent punishment for the two after the verdict.

With PTI inputs