Muskan, lover receive death penalty in Meerut blue drum murder case: Why did judge invoke Mahabharata while sentencing?

Merchant navy officer Saurabh Rajput was killed on March 3, 2025 by his wife Muskan Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla. His body was discovered two weeks later, concealed with cement in a blue drum.

On Wednesday, a Meerut court sentenced Muskan Rastogi and her lover, Sahil Shukla, to death for the murder of Saurabh Rajput. The body of Saurabh Rajput, who was Muskan's husband, was found dismembered and cemented inside a blue drum, hitting headlines.

Saurabh Rajput was a merchant navy officer. He was killed on March 3, 2025, and his body was discovered about two weeks later.

Meerut blue drum murder case verdict

On October 14, district Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra pronounced the verdict in the Meerut blue drum murder case after 126 hearings during a 13-month trial. According to PTI, Muskan, who has two daughters, one seven years old and the other 10 months old, and Sahil were produced separately before the court via video conferencing from prison.

Reportedly, Muskan and her lover Sahil appeared restless ahead of the sentencing. It is said that both didn't eat or sleep much, added the Senior Jail Superintendent Dr Viresh Raj Sharma.

Before pronouncing the death sentence, the judge asked both whether they wished to say anything regarding the punishment.

The Mahabharata reference

Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra referred to the Mahabharata and called punishment a form of dharma. He said that Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla would be hanged till death.

According to a report by Aaj Tak, Judge Mishra, during the session, referred to a verse from the Mahabharata. He said, “Dand bhi dharm hai (Even punishment is dharma)".

He added, as per the publication, “Dand ko hi dharm bataya gaya hai, yani apradhi ko dand dena dharm hai (Punishment has been referred to as dharma, meaning punishing a criminal is itself a righteous act)".

The usage of the reference seemingly explains the moral reasoning behind the rare punishment in the viral murder case.

Saurabh's mother Renu, brother and other family members were present at the court during the sentencing.

Case explained

Muskan and Sahil were convicted on September 30 for the murder and attempt to conceal the body of Saurabh Rajput.

The convicts dismembered Rastoi's body and placed the remains inside a blue drum, which they filled with cement to conceal their crime.

The case came to light after the remains were discovered at the couple's house in Meerut.

During the trial, the prosecution examined 22 witnesses, including people connected with the purchase of the drum, a knife and other materials which were allegedly used to commit the crime. According to PTI, hotel managers and cab drivers were also questioned in connection with the accused in the case.

About the Author

Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.