Convicted in the sensational Meerut Blue Drum murder case of Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput, Muskan Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla broke down inside prison over fears of receiving the death penalty ahead of their October 14 sentencing.
Published: October 1, 2026, 5:56 PM IST
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Blue Drum murder case
Blue Drum murder case: Following their conviction by the Meerut District Court in the sensational ‘Neela Drum’ murder case of Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput, convicts Muskan Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla are reportedly in shock and fearing the death penalty. As the court prepares to announce the quantum of punishment on October 14, jail authorities are arranging psychological counseling for the duo while the victim’s family reiterates their demand for capital punishment.
As the court is scheduled to pronounce the final verdict on their punishment on October 14, leaving 15 crucial days before the sentence is finalized. However, both convicts have reportedly fallen into severe shock and distress inside the prison barracks ever since the guilty verdict was delivered, driven by the looming fear of receiving the death penaltyReports indicate that both Muskan and Sahil have been weeping continuously in jail, with Sahil breaking down for the first time since his arrest, prompting the jail administration to prepare specialized psychological counseling for Muskan.
What court said on Blue Drum murder case?
“The court found both the accused, Muskan and Sahil, guilty of murder and hiding Saurabh’s bodyWe had presented 22 testimonies on different occasionsThe case was based on circumstantial evidenceWe had presented the circumstances in a sequenceAll the testimonies corroborated the prosecution’s case,” Prosecutor Vijay Bahadur said.
“All the evidence presented by the prosecution was found complete by the courtEven though it’s the court’s decision, we will demand a death sentenceGenerally, in cases like these, the minimum punishment is a life sentence, and the maximum punishment is death,” he added.
The prosecution presented a series of circumstantial evidence, along with technical and physical evidenceLocal shopkeepers testified to selling the specific blue plastic drum, cement bags, sand, cleavers, and razors to Rastogi and Shukla before the murder.
What did Muskan Rastogi did to victim Saurabh Rajput?
According to the police investigation, on March 3, 2025, Muskan Rastogi sedated her husband, Saurabh Rajput, at their home by lacing his foodHer lover Sahil Shukla arrived shortly after, and the duo stabbed Saurabh Rajput to death before dismembering his body in the bathroomSeeking to suppress the odour of decomposition, they packed the dismembered body parts into a large blue plastic drum, filled it with a freshly mixed wet compound of sand, water, and cement, and sealed it, the probe had revealed.
