Meerut Blue Drum Murder Case: Muskan, Sahil Get Death Penalty For 'Rarest Of Rare' Crime

Published : Oct 14, 2026, 04:26 PM ISTUpdated : Oct 14, 2026, 05:28 PM IST

A court in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh has awarded Muskan Rastogi and her boyfriend Sahil Shukla death penalty in gruesome blue drum murder case. Both are accused of killing Muskan's husband Saurabh Rajput, who was an officer in Merchant Navy.

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Muskan, boyfriend Sahil Shukla sentenced to death

A Meerut court on Wednesday, October 14, sentenced Muskan Rastogi and her boyfriend Sahil Shukla to death in the sensational Saurabh Rajput murder case, widely known as the Meerut blue drum murder case. The two were convicted of murdering Rajput, Muskan’s husband, in a crime that drew widespread attention. Both accused were produced before the court through video conferencing for the sentencing.

After the verdict, advocate Krishan Kumar Dubey told reporters outside the court that Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla had been sentenced to death for the murder of Saurabh Rajput. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 under Section 302 and Rs 20,000 under Section 238A, he added.

Calling it a historic verdict, Dubey said the case had drawn nationwide attention, with people closely following the proceedings to see what punishment the two accused would receive.

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Strong Prosecution Evidence Led To Death Penalty

Dubey said the accused appeared shocked after the sentence was pronounced, adding that one could imagine the mental anguish of someone facing the death penalty. He explained that the defence had argued that nobody had directly witnessed the murder and pointed out that both accused had daughters. However, he said the court rejected these arguments in view of the prosecution's strong and precise evidence, which he said conclusively established their guilt.

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Blue Drum Murder Was A Premeditated Crime, Says Lawyer

Explaining the prosecution's case, Dubey highlighted the nature of the crime, saying Muskan had killed Saurabh, whom she had married for love, and cut his body into three pieces to dispose of the remains inside a blue drum. He described the murder as a carefully planned conspiracy, alleging that it had been carried out with a calm and composed mind. According to him, the premeditated nature of the crime was a key reason why the death penalty was considered appropriate.

Lawyer Calls Verdict A Landmark In Indian Judicial History

Dubey described the ruling as a significant verdict in the country's judicial history. He particularly highlighted the fact that a woman had been sentenced to death, calling it a precedent-setting development.

On the question of Muskan's daughter, the lawyer said the child could stay with her mother until the age of six.

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Both Accused Were Asked About Their Previous Crimes

Before pronouncing the sentence, the court reportedly asked the convicts whether they had committed any previous offences. Sahil denied having committed an earlier crime, according to Aaj Tak report quoting sources. The death penalty marks the sentencing stage of the case, though the verdict remains subject to the applicable appeal process.

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Mahabharata Reference in Court

During the hearing, the judge reportedly referred to the Mahabharata and observed that awarding punishment is also a duty of dharma. After the sentence was pronounced, slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' were raised inside the courtroom.

Muskan and Sahil attended the proceedings through video conferencing from jail, while Saurabh’s mother, Renu Rajput, and his brother were present in court.

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What Muskan's parents said

In a significant development before the sentencing, Muskan's parents submitted a written statement to the court saying they had no objection even if their daughter was sentenced to death.

They also described victim Saurabh as a good person. The Saurabh's family had arrived at the court earlier in the afternoon, hoping for the maximum punishment to Muskan and Sahil. The hearing resumed as the judge examined the evidence before announcing the sentence.

Nearly 19 months after the murder came to light, the narrow lane in Meerut’s Brahmpuri area where the crime took place remains associated with the case.

The house where the murder occurred has reportedly remained locked since the incident. Its owner, Ompal Singh, told local media that his sons live abroad and that he does not reside in the house.

(With agency inputs)

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