India
oi-Swastika Sruti
Meerut District Court of Uttar Pradesh has sentenced Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla for the murder of Muskan’s husband, former Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput.
The Meerut District Court in Uttar Pradesh found Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla guilty of murdering former Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput. The nationally prominent 2025 case involved Rajput’s body being found concealed in a cement-filled blue barrel.
The murder investigation case gained national prominence in 2025 due to the dismembered body of Rajput being found inside a blue plastic barrel covered with cement in a house in Meerut.
The decision came after roughly 13 months of court trials, with the case being heard in 126 sittings and testimonies from over 22 witnesses.
Both the accused appeared in court using video conferencing from the prison.
Court Finds Muskan And Sahil Guilty
Considering the evidence produced in the case, the court declared both Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla guilty of murdering Rajput.
Apart from that, the judge took into consideration the hiding of the dead body of Rajput in the blue drum in an effort to hide the murder and eliminate the evidence.
The court has not yet disclosed the sentence. The quantum of sentence would be decided later based on the arguments about punishment to be produced before the court.
Thus, it can be said that the verdict has already been given.
Muskan Reportedly Performed Religious Rituals In Jail
In the days before the verdict, reports citing jail sources said Muskan had been praying and performing religious rituals for three days. Sahil, meanwhile, was reportedly keeping to himself and had reduced his interaction with other prisoners.
Their reported behaviour came shortly before the court was scheduled to deliver its decision in the high-profile case.
Before announcing the verdict, the judge also spoke directly to Muskan and asked her how she felt about the day of judgment.
The judge told her that the sentence would not be announced that day and asked what she thought about the proceedings. The court also observed that crimes can create fear and insecurity in society.
How The Blue Drum Case Came To Light
The case came to public attention after Saurabh Rajput’s body was discovered in a blue plastic drum filled with cement. Rajput, aged 29, had worked as a Merchant Navy officer and was living with his family in Meerut.
The discovery led police to investigate the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death. The investigation eventually led to the arrest of Muskan and Sahil.
The manner in which the body was allegedly concealed turned the case into a major national news story.
Police Allegation About Muskan And Sahil’s Relationship
According to the police investigation, Muskan and Sahil were schoolmates who reconnected through a WhatsApp group in 2019.
Police alleged that the two later entered into a relationship.
Investigators further alleged that Rajput had become an obstacle to their relationship and that the two accused had planned his murder. The alleged murder took place in March 2025, shortly after Rajput returned to India from London to celebrate his daughter’s birthday. These details formed part of the prosecution’s case during the trial.
