A Meerut court on September 30 convicted Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla of murdering former Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput, in a case that drew national attention.

Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra delivered the verdict through video conferencing. The prosecution said Rastogi and Shukla killed the 29-year-old Rajput and hid his body in a sealed blue drum filled with cement.

The court examined 22 witnesses during the trial. Both accused were found guilty, and the judge said the sentence would be pronounced after 15 days. The case shocked the country when the crime came to light earlier this year.

Prosecutors argued that the evidence, including forensic reports and witness statements, clearly proved the charges. Defence lawyers had denied the allegations. The verdict ends the trial phase of one of the most closely watched murder cases of the year.

The case had drawn wide public attention because of the brutal nature of the crime. Police said the investigation relied on call records, forensic evidence and statements from neighbours to build the case against the accused.