Saurabh Rajput Murder Verdict After 126 Hearings: What Happened In The Blue Drum Case?
The court in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut has found both accused, Muskan Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla, guilty of murdering Merchant Navy worker Saurabh Rajput. However, the court has not yet announced the sentence.
'Blue drum' murder verdict today after 126 hearings
A Meerut district court in Uttar Pradesh has convicted Muskan Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla in the high-profile 'blue drum' murder case. The court found both accused guilty of murdering Merchant Navy worker Saurabh Rajput. However, the court has not yet announced the sentence, with arguments on the quantum of punishment still pending.
Quantum of sentence after evidence analysis
Reacting to the verdict, the prosecution lawyer said, "Today, the court has held both accused guilty of Saurabh Rajput’s murder. The evidence presented by the prosecution was found sufficient by the court. Both accused have also been held guilty of destroying and concealing evidence after the murder."
The final decision will be based on the evidence presented during the trial and the applicable law.
What happened to Saurabh Rajput?
According to the prosecution, Rajput was allegedly drugged by the accused and then stabbed to death in March 2025. His body was then allegedly dismembered with the help of co-accused Sahil and the remains were placed inside a blue plastic drum.
The prosecution has further alleged that cement was used to seal the remains inside the drum. Police later recovered the body from the house, leading to the investigation that brought the case into the spotlight.
Police said Muskan and Sahil later fled to Himachal Pradesh and were arrested around two weeks after the murder.
126 hearings and 22 witnesses
The case has gone through an extended trial, with 126 hearings and more than 22 prosecution witnesses examined. Final arguments were completed on September 17, after which the matter was fixed for judgment.
Senior prosecution officer KK Chaubey said all prosecution witnesses had been examined and the prosecution had sought stringent punishment for the accused. He also said the final decision would be based on the evidence and law.
Security tightened ahead of verdict
Security arrangements have been strengthened around the Meerut court complex ahead of the verdict. Additional police personnel have been deployed in and around the premises.
The two accused are likely to be produced through video conferencing, as has happened during earlier proceedings. The decision to use video conferencing follows heightened security concerns after an earlier court appearance.
On March 19, 2025, when Muskan and Sahil were produced before a court amid tight security, an agitated group of lawyers allegedly assaulted Sahil. Police intervened and took the accused away.
Accused behaviour changes before verdict
Meerut District Jail officials said changes had been noticed in the behaviour of both accused ahead of the judgment.
Sahil has reportedly remained quiet and withdrawn for the past few days and has not been interacting much with other inmates. Jail officials also said both accused had been spending considerable time in prayer in the days before the verdict.
(With inputs from agencies)
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