Meerut Blue Drum Murder: Court Convicts Muskan And Sahil 576 Days After Saurabh Rajput's Killing

Lucknow: A Meerut court on Wednesday convicted Saurabh Rajput's wife Muskan Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla in the murder case that came to light after his body was found chopped up and sealed in a blue plastic drum filled with cement.

District and Sessions Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra held both Muskan and Sahil guilty after 126 hearings and statements from more than 22 witnesses. The court has reserved its order on the quantum of sentence. The sentence will be announced after arguments on the punishment.

The murder took place on March 3, 2025. The trial began in the district judge's court in July 2025, after police filed a charge sheet running into around 1,000 pages. The court reserved its judgment on September 19.

Details of the murder case

Saurabh, an officer in the Merchant Navy, had returned to Meerut from London on February 24, 2025. According to the prosecution, Muskan and Sahil first mixed sedatives in his food and later attacked him while he was sleeping in the bedroom.

After the murder, the body was taken to the bathroom, where Sahil allegedly chopped off the head and both hands. The body parts were then placed in a plastic drum and sealed with cement, according to the prosecution case.

Police said Muskan subsequently left for Shimla and Manali with Sahil and continued uploading photographs and videos on Instagram for around 13 days to create the impression that she was travelling with her husband.

Crime comes to light

The crime came to light on March 18 when Saurabh's younger brother Rahul reached his house. He saw Muskan with Sahil and asked about his brother. Muskan could not give a satisfactory explanation. Rahul also noticed a foul smell coming from inside the house and raised an alarm, following which neighbours gathered and police were called.

The court proceedings on Wednesday were held amid tight security. Since Muskan and Sahil are lodged in the district jail, they were produced before the court through video conferencing.

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Family seeks strict punishment

Before the verdict, Saurabh's family had sought the strictest possible punishment. His elder brother Rahul had said the family wanted nothing less than the death penalty for the accused.

Saurabh's mother Renu Devi had also expressed faith in the judicial process and said those found guilty should be punished.