Meerut, October 26: Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla, sentenced to death in the Meerut blue drum murder case, have challenged their conviction and punishment before the Allahabad High Court, alleging serious shortcomings in the prosecution’s evidence and the investigation.
The two were convicted by a Meerut district court on September 30, 2026, and awarded the death penalty on October 14. In their appeal, they have maintained that the prosecution failed to establish their guilt beyond reasonable doubt and have sought to have both the conviction and sentence overturned.
According to news agency PTI, senior advocate Sushil Shukla filed the appeal on Friday, October 23, after obtaining consent from both convicts. Meerut District Jail Senior Superintendent Viresh Raj Sharma also confirmed that the appeal had been filed.
Convicts Challenge Evidence and Trial Court Findings
The appeal questions the trial court’s assessment of the evidence, with the defence describing the judgment as arbitrary and legally unsustainable. The lawyers have argued that the prosecution’s case rested entirely on circumstantial evidence and that contradictions in witness statements were not adequately examined before the court reached its verdict.
Among the issues raised are the alleged purchases of the murder weapon, cement and the blue plastic drum used to conceal the remains of the victim, Saurabh Rajput. The defence claims investigators failed to produce CCTV footage or valid purchase receipts to establish these transactions. It has also questioned the reliability of recovery documents, citing missing signatures of independent witnesses and alleged deficiencies in the handling of electronic evidence.
These objections form part of the arguments advanced by the convicts in their appeal. They should not be interpreted as findings accepted by the High Court, which must independently examine the legal and evidentiary grounds raised.
Death Penalty Awarded on October 14
District and Sessions Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra sentenced Muskan and Sahil to death on October 14, following their conviction on September 30. The court also imposed a fine of ₹50,000 on each convict.
Both were found guilty of murder and offences relating to the disappearance of evidence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The judgment followed proceedings involving witness examinations and arguments presented by the prosecution and defence.
The appeal now places the trial court’s findings before the High Court for judicial scrutiny. The filing of an appeal does not itself overturn the conviction or sentence, and the outcome will depend on the High Court’s examination of the case.
