‘Blue Drum’ murder case: Meerut court sentences wife, partner to death

New Delhi

A Meerut court on Wednesday sentenced Muskan Rastogi and her partner Sahil Shukla to death for the murder of her husband Saurabh Rajput, whose dismembered remains were found in a cement-filled plastic drum in March 2025. Saurabh, a merchant navy officer, was killed on March 3 last year and the body was discovered two weeks later. District and Sessions Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra pronounced the sentence after convicting the duo of murder and destruction of evidence. The case, which attracted widespread attention due to the brutality of the crime, saw more than 100 hearings and 22 prosecution witnesses. Prosecution lawyer KK Chaubey told reporters that the judge referred to the Mahabharata while explaining the sentence, noting that “justice demands a punishment commensurate with the gravity of the crime”. “Apart from the death sentence, the court also imposed fines totaling ₹70,000 on each of the convicts for murder and the offense of disappearance of evidence,” Mr. Chaubey said. The two accused, who attended the hearing via video conference, reportedly broke down after the verdict was announced. Lawyers present in the courtroom distributed sweets after the announcement. A detailed court order is awaited. Crime Saurabh, 35, returned to Meerut from London in late February 2025. According to the police investigation, when his family did not follow him for several days, they contacted the police who found his dismembered remains in a drum full of cement in the house he shared with Muskan. The couple’s six-year-old daughter allegedly pointed to the container when asked about her father’s whereabouts. In a charge sheet filed in May 2025, police alleged that Muskan and Sahil drugged Saurabh before stabbing him to death and dismembering his body. They allegedly placed his remains in a drum, sealed it with cement and sand and went on holiday to Himachal Pradesh. Police used industrial equipment to break through the hardened cement and retrieve the remains. Police filed a nearly 1,000-page charge sheet detailing the evidence against the pair, including forensic reports, call records, CCTV footage and witness statements. Muskan, who was pregnant at the time of the crime, later gave birth to a baby girl in prison.

Published – 15 Oct 2026 01:38 IST