Meerut Blue Drum Murder: Muskan Rastogi, Sahil Shukla Awarded Death Sentence

MEERUT: The sensational murder of Saurabh Rajput, whose remains were concealed in a cement-filled drum, reached a crucial legal milestone on Wednesday when a Meerut court awarded the death penalty to his wife, Muskan Rastogi, and her alleged partner, Sahil Shukla.

Muskan, 26, and Shukla, 28, were found guilty of the killing after a case that attracted intense public attention following the discovery of Rajput’s dismembered remains at his residence last year. Investigators had found the body parts inside a drum containing liquid cement.

While the verdict brought a measure of closure to Rajput’s family, it did not resolve the question that has continued to trouble them: what prompted the murder?

His mother, Renu Rajput, had raised that question after the court convicted the pair on September 30.

She had expressed a wish to confront Muskan directly and ask why her son had been killed.

Rajput’s elder brother, Rahul, also said the family remained eager to understand the reason behind the crime, even as it welcomed the court’s decision.

Away from the courtroom, Muskan had another personal request on the day of sentencing.

She approached the authorities at Chaudhary Charan Singh District Jail, where she is lodged, seeking an opportunity to see her eight-year-old daughter.

The child is currently staying with Muskan’s parents in Meerut. According to jail superintendent Viresh Raj Sharma, the prisoner had asked on Tuesday for permission to write to her family.

Officials supplied her with writing materials and said the letter would be forwarded to her parents, who could then arrange the child’s visit.

Muskan has remained separated from her elder daughter since she was taken into custody. She gave birth to another daughter in March this year.

The information provided by jail authorities indicates that no family member has visited her in prison.

Additional District Government Counsel Ashwani Goel said the two convicts attended the sentencing proceedings through video conferencing. The court subsequently imposed the death penalty on both.

Their defence was handled by advocate Rekha Jain, appointed through the District Legal Services Authority.

The case became widely known for the gruesome manner in which Rajput’s remains were allegedly concealed.

The sentencing is a major development in the proceedings, while the victim’s family continues to grapple with the unanswered questions surrounding his death.हिंदी संस्करण