The case relates to the murder of Saurabh, a Merchant Navy officer, on March 3, 2025. According to police, Muskan and Sahil dismembered his body and concealed the remains in a blue drum filled with cement.
Muskan (left) killed her husband (centre) with the help of her lover Sahil (right) in March 2025.
Meerut,Oct 14, 2026 16:58 IST
A court in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut on Wednesday sentenced Muskan Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla to death for killing her husband, Saurabh Rajput, in the infamous blue drum murder case. District and Sessions Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra pronounced the sentence, nearly two years after the brutal incident sent shockwaves across the country.
During the hearing, the judge referred to the Mahabharata, observing that punishment is also a form of dharma. Both convicts appeared before the court through video conferencing from jail. Saurabh's mother, Renu Rajput, and his brother were present in the courtroom.
The case relates to the murder of Saurabh, a Merchant Navy officer, on March 3, 2025. According to police, Muskan and Sahil dismembered his body and concealed the remains in a blue drum filled with cement. Police arrested the duo following an investigation and recovered the blue drum containing the chopped body parts covered in cement.
"Both have been sentenced to death for the crime," advocate Krishan Kumar Dubey said.
Following the sentencing, 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' chants were heard in the courtroom and celebrations broke out outside the court.
Reacting to the sentence, Saurabh's mother urged couples who do not wish to remain together to separate rather than resort to violence. “If you don't want to live together, separate, but don't kill someone's child. For us, our child has not gone anywhere. His memories are in every corner of the house,” she said.
She also said that anyone committing such a crime should face the consequences. “If they commit such an act, they too will be sentenced to death,” she added.
Earlier in the day, Muskan's parents submitted a written statement to the court saying they would not oppose the death penalty if it was awarded to their daughter. Saurabh's family had also sought the maximum punishment, which is the death penalty, for the two convicts.
MUSKAN, SAHIL WERE RESTLESS BEFORE SENTENCING
Muskan and Sahil were anxious ahead of the sentencing and struggled to sleep through Tuesday night. According to senior jail superintendent Viresh Raj Sharma, both ate very little at dinner on Tuesday and barely touched their breakfast on Wednesday.
During the video-conferencing proceedings, the judge asked Sahil whether he had committed any offence in the past. He denied having done so. When asked whether he wanted to say anything about the sentence, he declined to make a statement.
Both Muskan and Sahil were told they would be connected to the court again when the sentence was pronounced.
Jail officials said the two had been distressed since their conviction, and their activities were being monitored. Counselling could be arranged if required.
MUSKAN ANXIOUS TO MEET DAUGHTER
Muskan's behaviour in jail has changed since her conviction. She has been avoiding conversations with other women inmates and prefers to remain alone, spending much of her time praying, jail superintendent Sharma said. As there are no CCTV cameras in the woman's barracks, jail staff are keeping watch on her.
She has also expressed anxiety about her young daughter, who is at home, and a desire to meet her. According to the jail superintendent, no one had come to meet Muskan so far.
She has been told she can write to her daughter or another person, with the jail administration providing paper and a pen. The letter will be sent to the specified address after a security check.
JAIL ARRANGEMENTS AFTER CONVICTION
Jail superintendent Sharma said the arrangements for Muskan and Sahil would change following their conviction. They would have to wear the prescribed prison uniform and could be assigned work under the jail manual.
Depending on requirements and availability, the male convict could be transferred to another prison, while the woman convict could be moved to a designated women's prison under the applicable rules. Sharma also said prison rules do not permit Muskan and Sahil to meet.
ABOUT THE BLUE DRUM CASE
On March 3, Muskan and Sahil killed Saurabh and concealed his dismembered body in a blue drum filled with cement. The blue drum was found at the couple's house the next day.
Last month, a Meerut court convicted them of murder and attempting to conceal the body, after a trial that lasted 13 months and involved 126 hearings.
The trial began in July 2025 in the Meerut district judge's court. Police filed a chargesheet running into around 1,000 pages, and the final arguments concluded on September 17. Two days later, the court fixed September 30 for the verdict, following which they were found guilty and convicted.
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