'Why did she kill my son?': Muskan, Sahil guilty in Meerut blue drum murder

Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla have been convicted in the Meerut blue drum murder case after 126 hearings. Saurabh Rajput's family is seeking the death penalty.

After waiting for more than a year, Saurabh Rajput’s family finally got a verdict on Wednesday when a Meerut court found his wife, Muskan Rastogi, and Sahil Shukla guilty of his murder in the "blue drum" case. But the verdict could not take away the family’s pain. After the judgement, Saurabh's mother, Renu, asked the question that has troubled her since his death: "Why did she kill my son?"

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Muskan and Sahil convicted after 126 hearings

Meerut District Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra convicted Muskan and Sahil of murdering Saurabh and concealing evidence. The verdict came after a trial lasting around 13 months, with 126 hearings and testimony from 22 witnesses.

The case now moves to sentencing. The prosecution is seeking the maximum punishment, while Saurabh's family has demanded the death penalty. Reports say the quantum of the sentence is expected to be taken up on October 14.

Government counsel Krishna Kumar Chaubey said the court found both guilty of murder and attempting to conceal evidence, including Saurabh's body and the murder weapon.

How prosecutors built the blue drum murder case

The prosecution said Muskan drugged Saurabh at their Meerut home in March 2025 and killed him with Sahil's help. His body was dismembered and concealed inside a large blue plastic drum that was sealed with cement and sand.

The case was built largely on circumstantial, forensic and technical evidence because there was no eyewitness to the murder. Prosecutors presented post-mortem findings, evidence linked to the recovery of Saurabh's remains and details about items allegedly bought before the killing.

Shopkeepers testified about the purchase of a blue drum, cement, sand, sharp weapons and razors. Investigators also used call records and mobile tower locations in their case. The prosecution said the records placed Sahil at the house around the time of the killing and traced the pair's subsequent journey to Himachal Pradesh.

The defence challenged the prosecution's case, pointing to the absence of an eyewitness and arguing that the two had been implicated in a property dispute.

What happened after Saurabh was killed?

According to the prosecution, Muskan and Sahil left for Himachal Pradesh after the murder. Investigators alleged that Saurabh's phone was used to send messages to his family, giving them the impression that he was alive.

The crime came to light later in March 2025 when Saurabh's remains were recovered from the blue drum. Muskan and Sahil were arrested and sent to Meerut jail on March 19.

Saurabh's family wants death penalty

Saurabh's elder brother Rahul Rajput said the family had spent months attending hearings and was now seeking the harshest punishment available under law.

"Since the beginning of this case, we have been hoping to get justice. We have just demanded one thing: whatever they did to my brother, the same should happen to them. The least they get should be a death sentence," Rahul said.

He said the family would consider approaching a higher court depending on the sentence.

"If the accused is awarded anything less than the death sentence, we will approach the High Court or the Supreme Court," he said.

Muskan and Sahil attended Wednesday's proceedings virtually from jail. Their punishment will be decided separately after the court hears submissions on sentencing.

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