- Former Chemistry professor Mamta Pathak was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering her husband
- She represented herself during her appeal, arguing scientific points about burn injuries in court
- The couple had disputes, and the husband's death was initially recorded as an electric shock incident
In a rare courtroom moment that took the internet by storm, former chemistry professor Mamta Pathak who had argued her own appeal in the High Court without a lawyer has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of her husband. The decision, delivered by the Madhya Pradesh High Court in a detailed 97-page judgment, has not only reaffirmed the district court's earlier ruling but also sparked widespread public interest due to the unusual nature of the case and the woman at its centre.
Mamta Pathak, once a chemistry professor in Chhatarpur, was convicted in 2022 for the murder of her husband, Dr Neeraj Pathak, a retired government doctor. The couple reportedly had long-standing disputes, and in 2021, Dr Pathak died under mysterious circumstances at their home. The police initially recorded the death as being caused by electric shock. However, forensic and post-mortem findings raised doubts, and investigators later filed murder charges against Mamta.
A district court, relying on medical reports and other evidence, sentenced her to life imprisonment.
After her conviction, Mamta was granted interim bail to care for her mentally challenged child. During this period, she appealed against the district court's decision in the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. With limited legal support, she decided to represent herself in the court.
In an unexpected courtroom moment that quickly went viral, Mamta Pathak calmly and confidently argued that thermal burns and electric burns can appear deceptively similar and only a proper chemical analysis could establish the difference. Her assertion stunned the court. When asked by the judge, "Are you a chemistry professor?", she replied, "Yes."
Her scientific reasoning, composure under pressure, and refusal to break down even while standing trial for murder, made her an internet sensation. Clips from the hearing circulated widely on social media.
Despite the social media support and her impassioned self-defence, the High Court upheld her life sentence. Government advocate Manas Mani Verma told NDTV that the court took the case seriously and even appointed senior advocate Surendra Singh as amicus curiae to ensure that Mamta Pathak received a fair hearing.
The court, after a lengthy deliberation, observed that the evidence and circumstances pointed clearly towards guilt. Referring to relevant Supreme Court judgments and judicial precedent, the bench ruled the crime to be grave in nature and directed Mamta Pathak to surrender immediately.
