Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla Sentenced to Death in Meerut
The blue drum murder verdict has brought death sentences for both defendants, while subsequent reporting concerns a separate Meerut killing involving a staged snakebite.
By Hushread Stories, written with AI from 9 outlets · First published 18 Oct 2026 · Chapter 4 of 4
Earlier: Meerut court sentences Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla to death
In brief
- A Meerut court sentenced Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla to death for murdering her husband, Saurabh Rajput.
- Rajput was killed on March 3, 2025, and his body was discovered two weeks later.
- His body was concealed with cement inside a blue drum, giving the case its widely reported name.
- The sentencing judge referred to the Mahabharata while discussing punishment proportionate to the gravity of the offence.
- Later reports about a husband killed and a snake planted concern another Meerut case, not Rajput's murder.
Timeline · 5 moments
Another Meerut couple receives death sentences in separate case
Indian Express ↗Report describes convicts weeping and skipping dinner after sentencing
Times of India ↗Jail authorities increase surveillance and separate the convicts
NDTV India ↗Meerut court sentences Rastogi and Shukla to death
Indian Express ↗Saurabh Rajput killed by wife and her boyfriend
Mint ↗How it started
Saurabh Rajput, a merchant navy officer, was killed on March 3, 2025, by his wife Muskan Rastogi and her boyfriend Sahil Shukla, according to Mint.
His body was discovered two weeks later, concealed with cement in a blue drum. BBC News - India described the container as a large blue plastic storage drum.
How it unfolded
The killing in March 2025 led to a prosecution that included testimony from 22 prosecution witnesses, according to Times of India India.
On October 14, 2026, a Meerut court sentenced Rastogi and Shukla to death. The Hindu reported that the judge referred to the Mahabharata while saying justice requires punishment proportionate to the gravity of the offence.
Following the sentence, jail authorities increased security and surveillance for both convicts, according to NDTV India. The outlet reported that they were held in separate cells.
On October 15, Times of India reported that the pair had wept and skipped dinner during their first night in jail after sentencing.
Reporting on October 16 introduced a different Meerut death sentence case. Indian Express explicitly described it as involving another couple, two days after the blue drum verdict. India News identified the victim in that case as Amit Kashyap, alias Mikky, who was found dead on April 12, 2025.
Where it stands
Rastogi and Shukla have been sentenced to death and are being held separately under increased surveillance, according to NDTV India. The supplied coverage does not establish a subsequent appeal ruling or an execution date.
The snakebite cover story should not be attached to Rajput's murder. In the separate case, The Hindu reported on October 18 that a woman and her lover were sentenced to death for killing her husband and leaving a snake on his bed. Police said a post-mortem examination found he died of strangulation.
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