Meerut, Oct 14: A local court has sentenced Muskan Rastogi and her lover, Sahil Shukla, to death for the murder of Saurabh Rajput—a case from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, that had caused a massive stir across the country.
The court had found both of them guilty two weeks ago in connection with this gruesome murder, which took place last year. The quantum of punishment was announced on Wednesday.
The verdict relates to a case where the husband was murdered, his body dismembered, and the remains concealed inside a blue plastic drum filled with a mixture of cement and sand. The blue drum reportedly served as a crucial piece of evidence during the trial.
After conducting 126 hearings and recording the statements of 22 witnesses, District Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra concluded that Muskan and Sahil had conspired to murder Saurabh. The judge observed that such crimes create an atmosphere of fear within society.
Murdered After Being Sedated via Food? According to the police, on March 3, 2025, Muskan allegedly mixed sleeping pills into the food she served her husband, Saurabh Rajput, at their home in Indra Nagar, Meerut. The prosecution informed the court that she, along with Sahil Shukla—who arrived at the scene—stabbed Saurabh to death.
The investigation revealed that they subsequently dismembered the body in the bathroom and packed the remains into a large blue plastic drum to prevent the stench of decomposition from spreading. They then sealed the drum by pouring in a mixture of sand, water, and cement.
Muskan and Sahil fled to Himachal Pradesh the day after the murder. Meanwhile, Muskan used Saurabh’s mobile phone to send messages to his family; investigating officers stated that she did this to create the impression that Saurabh was still alive and traveling for business purposes.
Saurabh’s body found in the drum
On March 17, 2025, Saurabh’s relatives, having grown suspicious, visited the house accompanied by local officials. During this visit, the couple’s six-year-old daughter reportedly told the neighbors, “Papa is in the drum.” Subsequently, when the police opened the sealed blue drum, they discovered Saurabh’s remains inside. Following this discovery, the police launched a search for the accused and arrested Muskan and Sahil two days later.
Shop Bills and Mobile Records Serve as Key Evidence
During the trial, the prosecution presented circumstantial, technical, and physical evidence before the court. Local shopkeepers testified that, prior to the murder, the accused had purchased a blue plastic drum, cement bags, sand, meat-cutting tools, and razors.
The prosecution stated that call detail records and mobile tower location data indicated Sahil was at home at the time of the murder. Additionally, the investigation revealed that the accused had stayed together at hotels in Shimla and Manali. The post-mortem report also confirmed that Saurabh had died from stab wounds.