Professor Turns Courtroom into Chemistry Class to Counter Murder Charges

GG News Bureau
Bhopal, 29th May: In a rare courtroom moment that has left both legal experts and netizens stunned, a 60-year-old chemistry professor accused of murdering her husband used her scientific knowledge to challenge the prosecution’s case before the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

Mamta Pathak, an assistant professor of chemistry, is facing charges of allegedly drugging and electrocuting her husband, retired government doctor Neeraj Pathak, in Chhatarpur on April 29, 2021. However, during a recent hearing, when a judge directly asked her about post-mortem findings suggesting death by electrocution, she responded with clinical precision:
“Sir, it is not possible to differentiate between thermal burn marks and electric burn marks in a post-mortem room.”

The response, detailed and rooted in scientific explanation, caught the division bench of Justices Vivek Agarwal and Devnarayan Mishra by surprise. Pathak then launched into an impromptu lecture, discussing the interaction of electric current with human tissue, medical metal deposition, and the limits of visual examination in such forensic cases. She asserted that accurate conclusions could only be drawn through detailed lab analyses, not superficial autopsy observations.

The gripping courtroom exchange has since gone viral, with many calling it “one of the most unusual courtroom defenses in recent memory.”

Pathak had earlier been convicted of premeditated murder and sentenced to life by a sessions court, based on a range of evidence—including a voice recording from Neeraj Pathak alleging mental and physical torture, and testimony from the family’s driver, who claimed she admitted to making a “big mistake.” Investigations also revealed past complaints filed by Mamta Pathak alleging domestic violence, though these were later withdrawn.

Following her conviction, Pathak approached the High Court and secured bail in 2023. After the latest hearing on April 29 this year, the court has reserved its judgement. Until then, Mamta Pathak remains out on bail, and her courtroom defence continues to fuel debate on legal strategies and scientific literacy in India’s judicial process.