Over 100 hearings, 22 witnesses: Wife, lover convicted in Meerut ‘blue drum’ murder case; sentencing on Oct 14

MEERUT: A district and sessions court in Meerut on Wednesday convicted Muskan Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla of murdering Muskan’s husband, merchant navy officer Saurabh Rajput, dismembering his body and concealing it in a blue plastic drum filled with cement in March 2025.The verdict came after more than 100 hearings and examination of 22 witnesses, with the court fixing Oct 14 for the pronouncement of the sentence.Prosecution lawyer K K Chaubey said district and sessions judge Arvind Kumar Mishra found both accused guilty of murder and destruction of evidence. Muskan and Sahil appeared before the court through video conferencing. “The court observed that the crime falls into a category that not only shreds the fabric of society but also strikes at the foundation of the husband-wife relationship,” Chaubey said. He added that when the court asked the two to make submissions on the sentence, they said they had nothing to say.Rajput’s mother, Renu Devi, was present at the court when the verdict was pronounced. “We have waited for this day for the last 18 months. We want nothing less than capital punishment for both,” she said.The case dated back to March 2025, when Muskan and Sahil killed Rajput, chopped his body into pieces, and placed the remains in a blue plastic drum filled with cement in an attempt to conceal the crime. The case came to light on March 17 after a foul smell began emanating from the drum, leading to the discovery of the body and subsequent investigation.Muskan and Sahil were arrested following the discovery and remained in custody during the trial. The gruesome manner in which Rajput’s body was concealed led to the case becoming widely known as the “blue drum murder case”. The court will hear the matter on sentencing on Oct 14.Feb 24-25, 2025: Saurabh Rajput returns to Meerut from London; Muskan’s birthday celebrated next dayMarch 4: Muskan, Sahil drug Saurabh, stab him to death, dismember body; remains packed in blue drum with cement; duo leaves for Himachal PradeshMid-March: Muskan tells maternal family about murder; police case follows; remains recovered from drum on Mar 17March 18, 2025: Muskan, Sahil arrestedMarch 19, 2025: Court sends duo to 14-day judicial custodyMay 12, 2025: Police file nearly 1,000-page chargesheet; around 34 witness statements; murder, destruction-of-evidence chargesNov 24, 2025: Muskan gives birth to girl while in custody; mother, newborn shifted to women’s barrack; Saurabh’s family seeks DNA test for paternityMar 2025-Sept 2026: Trial spans around 13 months; 22 witnesses examinedSept 17, 2026: Final arguments conclude; prosecution seeks death penalty for bothSept 30: Muskan, Sahil convicted of murder, destruction of evidence; sentencing fixed for Oct 14You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Meerut | Silver Rate in Meerut | Bank Holidays in Meerut | Public Holidays in Meerut | Meerut AQI | Weather in Meerut | Petrol Price in Meerut | Diesel Price in Meerut | CNG Price in Meerut | LPG Price in MeerutStay updated with the latest Meerut news. Download the TOI App.