Crime / Meerut Court Convicts Wife, Lover in ‘Blue Drum’ Murder Case

Meerut, Sep 30: A court in Meerut on Wednesday convicted Muskan Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla for the murder of her husband, Saurabh Rajput, in the sensational "blue drum" murder case that had drawn widespread attention for its gruesome nature and alleged attempts to conceal evidence.

District Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra held that Rastogi and Shukla conspired to kill Rajput and subsequently attempted to hide his body inside an industrial drum filled with cement and sand.

The verdict came after a prolonged trial that included 126 hearings and testimony from 22 witnesses.

Murder and concealment

According to the prosecution, Muskan allegedly drugged her husband before she and Shukla stabbed him to death in March 2025. Investigators alleged that the duo later dismembered the body, placed the remains inside a blue plastic drum and sealed it with cement in an effort to destroy evidence.

Following the crime, the accused allegedly fled to Himachal Pradesh. They were arrested around a fortnight later after police tracked their movements.

Evidence presented in court

The prosecution relied on a chain of circumstantial, technical and physical evidence during the trial.

Local shopkeepers testified that they had sold a blue plastic drum, cement bags, sand, cleavers and razors to the accused before the murder. Investigators also presented call detail records and mobile tower location data that allegedly placed Shukla at the victim's residence during the crime and traced the movements of the accused to hotels in Shimla and Manali.

Post-mortem findings confirmed that Rajput had died from stab injuries, strengthening the prosecution's case.
Also Read: Man Kills Wife, Dies By Suicide Over Family Dispute In Dhenkanal

Court's findings

Advocate Krishan Kumar Dubey said the court had found both accused guilty of murdering Rajput and attempting to conceal evidence related to the crime, including the body and the alleged murder weapon.

The conviction marks a significant development in a case that shocked residents of Meerut and attracted national attention because of the manner in which the body was allegedly concealed after the killing.