A court in Meerut on Wednesday sentenced Muskan Rastogi and her partner Sahil Shukla to death for murdering her husband, merchant navy officer Saurabh Rajput, in the case that came to be known as the 'blue drum' murder, PTI reported.
District Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra pronounced the sentence, court officials told PTI. Both convicts were produced before the court through video conferencing.
The court had convicted Muskan and Sahil on September 30 for the murder and for attempting to conceal Rajput's body. The verdict followed 126 hearings during a 13-month trial.
The case dates back to March 3, 2025, when Rajput was murdered at his home in Meerut. He had returned from London in February to spend time with his family, according to media reports. Rajput and Muskan had married in 2016 and had a daughter.
The prosecution said Rajput was killed on March 3. Muskan and Sahil allegedly dismembered his body and placed the remains inside a blue plastic drum, which was filled with cement to conceal the crime.
The case came to light in mid-March 2025, when police recovered Rajput's remains from the drum at the house. Muskan and Sahil were arrested after returning from a trip to Himachal Pradesh.
The case became known as the 'blue drum' murder.
During the trial, the prosecution examined 22 witnesses, including people connected with the purchase of the drum, a knife and other material allegedly used in the crime.
Hotel managers and cab drivers were also examined to establish the movements of the accused, while records of their stays at different locations were presented before the court.
The court convicted both on September 30, bringing the trial to a close after 126 hearings. The prosecution sought the death penalty, citing the nature of the crime. The court announced the sentence on Wednesday.
(With inputs from PTI)