A court in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, handed down death sentences to Muskan Rastogi, 26, and Sahil Shukla, 28, for the murder of Rastogi’s husband, Saurabh Rajput. The convictions came on 30 September, with Wednesday’s sentencing requiring high court confirmation before becoming final. The defendants retain the right to challenge the verdict through the appeals process.
According to prosecution arguments presented in court, Rastogi and Shukla had been schoolmates who developed a relationship while Rajput was working abroad in London. The couple’s marriage had faced strain since 2021, when Rajput discovered the affair and sought a divorce. His family discouraged the separation due to the couple’s young daughter.
Rajput died on 3 March 2025 during a visit to Meerut. Police stated that Rastogi administered sedative-laced food to Rajput before he was killed. Following the murder, the defendants traveled to Himachal Pradesh and used Rajput’s mobile phone to send text messages to his family, attempting to create the impression he was alive and away on business. Rajput’s family filed a missing person report after several days without contact.
On 17 March, during a visit to her parents’ home, Rastogi’s six-year-old daughter inquired about her father. When Rastogi blamed her in-laws for his death, her skeptical family brought her to police for questioning. She subsequently confessed to the crime during interrogation, leading to the arrest and charging of both defendants. The case gained widespread attention after Rajput’s remains were discovered in a large blue plastic storage container, earning it the moniker ‘the blue drum murder.’ Rastogi gave birth to a second child while in custody.
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