Jabalpur: Former chemistry professor Mamta Pathak has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Madhya Pradesh High Court for the murder of her husband, Dr. Neeraj Pathak, a retired government doctor. The case gained national attention after she chose to defend herself in court without a lawyer, using scientific arguments based on her expertise in chemistry.
Mamta had been convicted in 2022 by a district court after her husband died under suspicious circumstances at their Chhatarpur home in 2021. While the initial police report cited electrocution, forensic and medical evidence pointed toward foul play. Based on these findings, murder charges were filed, and she was sentenced to life in prison.
After securing interim bail to care for her mentally challenged child, Mamta filed an appeal in the Jabalpur bench of the High Court. In a bold move, she chose to argue her own case, asserting that electric and thermal burns can look similar, requiring chemical analysis for conclusive results. Her composed, scientific defence went viral online and drew widespread public interest.
Despite the stir on social media, the High Court upheld the life sentence, stating the evidence against her was “conclusive and serious.” The bench referenced previous Supreme Court rulings and ensured she received a fair trial, even appointing senior advocate Surendra Singh as amicus curiae.
Government counsel Manas Mani Verma confirmed the ruling, and the court ordered her to surrender immediately.