On March 3, 2025, the body of the victim was moved with a Neela drum, and the next day, March 4, 2025, body parts were hidden in the same drum and cemented. The case was registered on March 18, 2025 after a complaint filed by Bablu. The victim, Saurabh Rajput, was a Merchant Navy employee. Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla, described as his wife and lover, conspired to poison him, dismember his body, and bury it in a drum.
Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla were arrested on March 19, 2025. Police submitted a charge sheet in court on May 12, 2025. The investigation took place in Uttar Pradesh, where the Meerut court later heard the matter. The case file notes that the accused were the two main individuals charged with the murder.
A local court in Meerut on Wednesday (October 14, 2026) sentenced Muskan Rastogi and her partner Sahil Shukla to death in the high-profile ‘blue drum’ murder case. https://t.co/OHm9qWF5XO
Final arguments concluded on September 17, 2026. On September 30, 2026, the court convicted Muskan and Sahil, and on the same day it sentenced them to death. The proceedings involved 22 witness statements.
On October 14, 2026, the court announced the death sentence for Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla.
On October 14, 2026, the court announced the death sentence for Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla. A fine of 50,000 rupees was imposed on the accused.
Saurabh’s mother said, "If you are not going to stay together, then separate, but don't kill anyone's child. Whether boy or girl, if you do this, you will face the gallows like Muskan and Sahil." Muskan’s parents responded, "If Muskan is also sentenced to death, we will have no objection. We have always been with Saurabh in this case and will continue to support him."
The case, rooted in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, has drawn attention for the severity of the punishment. The accused remain under the sentence of death as announced by the court on October 14, 2026, while the legal record shows 22 witness statements and a fine of 50,000 rupees.