Meerut Court Sentences Couple to Death for Blue Drum Murder of Merchant Navy Officer

Reporting based primarily on timesofindia.indiatimes.com.

Death Sentences Handed Down

A Meerut court sentenced Muskan Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla to death on October 14, 2026 for the 2025 murder of her husband Saurabh Rajput, whose dismembered remains were found in a cement-filled blue plastic drum. [1] The court convicted them of murder and destruction of evidence on September 30, 2026. [1] The judge referenced the Mahabharata in imposing the death penalty and fines of Rs 50,000 each for murder plus Rs 20,000 each for evidence destruction. [1] The prosecution had sought the death penalty for both. [1] On Wednesday the court sentenced them to death, with prosecution lawyer KK Chaubey saying the judge referred to the Mahabharata while observing that punishing the guilty in proportion to the intensity of their crime was also 'dharma'. [1] The court also imposed fines of Rs 50,000 each for murder and Rs 20,000 each for destruction of evidence. [1]

Timeline of the Murder

Rajput, a 35-year-old merchant navy officer, returned from London to Meerut on February 24-25, 2025; his wife’s birthday was celebrated the next day. [1] On March 4, 2025, Muskan and Sahil allegedly drugged, stabbed and dismembered Rajput, then packed his remains into a blue drum with cement and sand before fleeing to Himachal Pradesh. [1] Investigators said the accused had initially considered disposing of the body in a suitcase but turned to the drum after they could not fit the remains inside it. [1] The two then left for Himachal Pradesh. [1] The crime was discovered on March 17 after a foul smell led to recovery of the remains; Muskan told her maternal family, and the pair were arrested the next day. [1] Mid-March 2025 saw Muskan allegedly tell her maternal family about the murder, following which the police were approached. [1] Muskan and Sahil were arrested on March 18 after returning from their trip. [1] March 19, 2025 brought a court order sending the duo to 14 days of judicial custody. [1] November 24, 2025 saw Muskan give birth to a girl while in custody. [1]

Investigation and Trial

Police filed a nearly 1,000-page chargesheet in May 2025 including forensic reports, call records, CCTV and 34 witness statements; the trial involved 126 hearings and 22 prosecution witnesses over 13 months. [1] Police filed a chargesheet of nearly 1,000 pages on May 12, 2025. [1] It included forensic reports, call detail records, CCTV footage and statements from people connected to the investigation. [1] The prosecution examined 22 witnesses, including Rajput’s family members, a cab driver, a medical store owner and people who allegedly sold the knife, drum and cement used in the crime. [1] Investigators also recorded statements from hotel staff in Shimla, Manali and Kasauli, where the accused allegedly stayed after the murder. [1] Police said there was no eyewitness to the killing. [1] The prosecution relied on the evidence collected during the investigation to establish the case against Muskan and Sahil. [1] The trial lasted around 13 months and involved 126 hearings. [1] Final arguments concluded on September 17, with the prosecution seeking the maximum punishment. [1] On September 30, district and sessions judge Arvind Kumar Mishra convicted Muskan and Sahil of murder and destruction of evidence. [1] The court then fixed October 14 for sentencing, allowing the two to make submissions on the punishment. [1] Both appeared before the court through video conferencing during the proceedings. [1]

Family Reactions

Rajput’s mother expressed gratitude, hoping the sentence would deter similar crimes. [1] Rajput’s mother, Renu Devi, had sought the death penalty after the conviction, saying the family had waited 18 months for justice. [1] Following Wednesday’s verdict, she expressed gratitude and said she hoped the punishment would serve as a deterrent and spare other families similar trauma. [1] Saurabh’s family seeks a DNA test to establish the child’s paternity. [1]

Case Draws National Attention

The case became widely known as the “blue drum murder case” because of the manner in which Rajput’s remains were concealed. [1] The crime, which came to light in March 2025, went through 126 court hearings and the examination of 22 prosecution witnesses before the district and sessions court convicted the two on September 30. [1]

What to watch next includes further legal proceedings on the requested DNA test of the child born in custody as well as any appeals from the convicted pair, while separate unrelated trials continue in other jurisdictions. [1] [2] [3]