Blue drum murder case: Meerut court finds Muskan, Sahil guilty after 126 hearings

A Meerut district court on Wednesday, September 30, found Muskan Rastogi and her alleged lover Sahil Shukla guilty in the murder of former Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput, according to India Today.

The case drew widespread attention after Rajput’s dismembered body was recovered from a blue plastic drum at his Meerut residence in March 2025.

Verdict After 126 Hearings

District Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra pronounced the verdict following a trial that lasted around 13 months. The proceedings involved 126 hearings and testimony from more than 22 witnesses, with the prosecution relying extensively on forensic and scientific evidence. Final arguments were completed on September 17, after which the court fixed September 30 for the verdict.

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The court will now hear arguments on the quantum of punishment. The prosecution has sought stringent punishment, including the death penalty, for both accused. The final sentence is expected to be pronounced after the court considers the relevant submissions.

What Happened to Saurabh Rajput?

According to the prosecution's case, Rajput was allegedly killed in March 2025. Investigators alleged that he was drugged before the murder and that Muskan and Sahil subsequently dismembered his body and concealed the remains inside a large blue plastic drum, which was sealed with cement. Police later recovered the remains during the investigation.

The prosecution also presented evidence concerning the alleged purchase of a knife, razor, cement, sand and the blue drum before the killing. Police and forensic witnesses testified about the recovery, while post-mortem findings documented injuries allegedly caused by sharp-edged weapons.

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Defence Challenges Prosecution Case

The defence questioned the prosecution's version, pointing out that there was no eyewitness to the murder. The defence also argued that the accused had been implicated in connection with a property dispute. The case therefore relied substantially on circumstantial, forensic and scientific evidence presented during the trial.

Case Began in March 2025

The case reached court on March 17, 2025, while Muskan and Sahil were sent to Meerut jail two days later. The trial was subsequently transferred to the district judge's court in July 2025, where proceedings and arguments continued for about 13 months.