Professor's Unique Defense in High-Profile Murder Trial Stuns Court

Courtroom Drama Unfolds

During a recent hearing, a judge from the Madhya Pradesh High Court posed a challenging question to a woman accused of murdering her husband through electrocution, asking her to respond to the findings of the post-mortem examination.

In a surprising turn, 60-year-old Mamta Pathak, a chemistry professor, confidently addressed the court, stating, "It is impossible to distinguish between thermal and electric burn marks during a post-mortem examination."

Before the division bench, comprising Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice Devnarayan Mishra, Pathak showcased her expertise in chemistry. She provided a detailed explanation of how electric currents interact with human tissues, discussing the deposition of metal particles and the necessity of laboratory analysis for accurate results.

This unexpected defense has captured the attention of legal experts and gone viral on social media, being described as one of the most remarkable courtroom defenses in recent times.

Mamta Pathak was accused of administering a lethal dose of sleeping pills to her husband, Neeraj Pathak, a retired doctor, before electrocuting him on April 29, 2021, in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh. Following the incident, she reportedly traveled to Jhansi with her son.

Upon returning on May 1, she claimed to have discovered her husband's lifeless body. However, evidence, including a voice recording of Neeraj alleging that his wife had tortured him, along with a driver's testimony about her admission of a "big mistake," complicated her defense.

Additional evidence regarding their troubled marriage surfaced, including Mamta's previous complaint against her husband for domestic abuse, which she later retracted.

A sessions court ultimately convicted her of premeditated murder, sentencing her to life imprisonment. However, she appealed to the High Court and was granted bail last year.

Following the latest hearing on April 29, the bench has delivered its judgment, and Mamta Pathak remains free on bail.