Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra invoked the Mahabharata before sentencing Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla to death. His remarks and discarded pen have stirred discussion across Meerut's legal circles.
Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra invoked the Mahabharata before sentencing Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla to death.
Meerut,Oct 14, 2026 23:29 IST
The judge who sentenced Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla to death in the Meerut blue drum murder case has drawn attention for his courtroom demeanour, a reference to the Mahabharata, before pronouncing the verdict and his decision to throw away the pen he used to sign the judgment.
District and Sessions Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra began the proceedings with two lines from the Mahabharata before delivering the death sentence to the two convicts on October 14. His remarks on punishment and justice, followed by the pen gesture, became a talking point in the Meerut court complex.
'PUNISHMENT ACCORDING TO CRIME IS JUDICIAL DUTY'
Before pronouncing the sentence, Mishra referred to the Mahabharata and said it was the duty of the judiciary to punish an offender in accordance with the gravity of the crime.
Using the example of a tiger and a forest, he reportedly observed that if the tiger is in the forest, the forest is safe, and if the forest survives, the tiger is safe too.
He also stressed that the law is made for human beings, protects them and regulates their behaviour. Conveying this message to society, he indicated, was essential.
His remarks were seen as an emphasis on the relationship between justice, public safety and the rule of law.
The judge's decision to put the pen he used for the verdict into a dustbin also attracted attention among lawyers and others present at the court.
WHO IS JUDGE ARVIND KUMAR MISHRA?
Mishra took charge as Meerut's District and Sessions Judge around five months before delivering the verdict. Originally from Uttar Pradesh, he has spent more than two decades in judicial service.
He was born on July 2, 1971, in Mau district. He completed his BA in 1990, followed by an LLB in 1994 and an LLM in 1996. He formally entered the Uttar Pradesh judicial service on May 31, 2003, as a Civil Judge (Junior Division).
During his career, he served in several districts, including Ghazipur, Sultanpur, Aligarh and Gorakhpur, in roles such as Civil Judge, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate and Chief Judicial Magistrate.
In April 2014, he was posted as an Additional District and Sessions Judge in Kanpur Nagar. He also served as Principal Judge of the Family Court in Kanpur and held deputation assignments in the Uttar Pradesh government as Special Secretary and Additional Legal Adviser (Legislative).
Mishra subsequently served as chairman of the State Transport Appellate Tribunal in Lucknow. In November 2024, he was appointed District and Sessions Judge of Mirzapur.
Following a transfer notification issued by the Allahabad High Court, he took charge in Meerut on May 21, 2026. The blue drum murder case was among the high-profile matters that came before his court.
MEERUT'S FIRST DEATH SENTENCE IN AROUND 23 YEARS
The death sentences awarded to Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla have drawn attention because Meerut had not seen a death sentence in around 23 years, according to the information provided.
The last such sentence in the city was reportedly awarded to a doctor in 2003. The court is also said to have awarded death sentences to three other convicts in earlier cases.
Muskan and Sahil were convicted on September 30, 2026, for the murder at the centre of the blue drum case. On October 14, Mishra sentenced both to death.
The verdict has brought renewed attention to the brutality of the crime, while the judge's Mahabharata reference and courtroom gestures have also become subjects of discussion in Meerut's legal circles.
- Ends