The Meerut district court is expected to pronounce its verdict on Wednesday, September 30, in the widely followed Saurabh Rajput murder case, in which the deceased’s body was allegedly found concealed inside a blue drum at his home. The case has gone through 126 hearings and included testimony from more than 22 witnesses. District government counsel Krishna Kumar Chaubey said all proceedings had been completed and that only the pronouncement of the verdict remained. The case has been heard before District Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra.

The case involves Saurabh Rajput’s wife, Muskan Rastogi, and Sahil Shukla, whom the prosecution has described as her alleged lover and co-accused. Both are facing trial in connection with Rajput’s death. The prosecution has sought the death penalty for the two accused, while the defence has opposed the allegations and argued that there was no eyewitness to the killing. The defence has also raised a property dispute as part of its case. The court’s verdict will determine whether the prosecution’s evidence is sufficient to establish guilt.

The case reached the court in March 2025, with the accused being sent to Meerut jail shortly afterwards. The trial was later transferred to the district judge’s court in July 2025. Proceedings and arguments continued for about 13 months before the final arguments were completed on September 17, 2026. During the trial, the prosecution presented scientific evidence as well as statements from 22 witnesses, according to the district government counsel.

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According to the prosecution, the killing was planned and preparations were allegedly made before Rajput’s death. The prosecution told the court that items including a knife, razor, cement, sand and a large blue drum had been purchased before the alleged murder. Police and forensic witnesses also described the recovery of the body from the drum, while post-mortem evidence documented injuries that prosecutors said were consistent with the use of sharp-edged weapons. These claims form part of the circumstantial and scientific evidence presented before the court.

The defence has challenged the prosecution’s version, pointing to the absence of a direct eyewitness to the alleged murder. Defence arguments have sought relief for the accused and disputed the prosecution’s interpretation of the circumstances and evidence. The prosecution, meanwhile, has relied on the sequence of events, forensic material, recoveries and witness testimony to support its case. The court will assess the admissibility and evidentiary value of the material presented by both sides before delivering its decision.

The case attracted widespread attention after investigators alleged that Rajput’s body had been cut into pieces and concealed inside a blue drum at his residence. His family members also appeared during the proceedings, with his mother Renu Rajput making allegations against the accused. With final arguments completed and 126 hearings recorded, the September 30 proceeding marks the conclusion of the trial stage. If the court finds the accused guilty, a separate hearing on the question of sentence would follow, including consideration of the prosecution’s demand for the death penalty.

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