Chemistry Masterclass In Courtroom: Murder Accused Professor's Argument Left Judges Impressed | Watch

Last Updated:May 29, 2025, 13:16 IST

Taking the High Court bench by surprise, the accused questioned the post-mortem report and explained the difference between thermal burn marks and electric burn marks.

Accused Mamta Pathak arguing in court. (Image: X)

A chemistry lesson inside a courtroom left the judge surprised and impressed at the same time after a 67-year-old retired chemistry professor, accused of murdering her husband by electrocution, gave a complex explanation at her disposal.

During the hearing, accused Mamta Pathak, a retired assistant professor of chemistry, delivered a short master class after the division bench of Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice Devnarayan Mishra questioned her about the findings of her husband’s post-mortem report.

“You are accused of murdering your husband by electrocution. What do you have to say about the post-mortem’s findings?" the Madhya Pradesh High Court judge asked the woman.

Answering his question, the retired professor said, “Sir, it is not possible to differentiate between thermal burn marks and electric burn marks in a post-mortem room."

Taking the Jabalpur High Court bench by surprise, the accused questioned the post-mortem report and explained how electric current interacts with tissues and mentioned the deposition of medical metal particles, acid-based separations in lab tests, and chemical reactions that can only be accurately interpreted post-lab analysis. She explained that the observations made in the case cannot be made visually.

The extraordinary argument, which occurred during the hearing of the murder case against Mamta, soon went viral on social media.

Retired Chemistry Professor Kills Doctor Husband

The murder case in which Mamata Pathak is an accused dates back to 2021. On April 29, 2021 in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur, Mamta had allegedly given her husband Neeraj Pathak, a retired government doctor, a heavy dose of sleeping pills in his food and then electrocuted him to death over a domestic dispute.

She then left for Jhansi with her son and reported the death on May 1 after returning home. During the police investigation, Mamta claimed that she had found her husband dead on her return. Interestingly, a voice recording of Neeraj surfaced in which he claimed that his wife tortured him.

A strained relationship added context to the case, with investigations finding that Mamta had filed a complaint alleging domestic abuse and that her husband had drugged her food. She later withdrew the complaint.

A sessions court found her guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced her to life imprisonment.

She then moved the the High Court and secured bail last year. After the last hearing on April 29, the bench has reserved judgment, while Mamta continues to remain on bail.

Watch CNN-News18 here. News18's viral page features trending stories, videos, and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location :

Madhya Pradesh, India, India

First Published:

News viral Chemistry Masterclass In Courtroom: Murder Accused Professor's Argument Left Judges Impressed | Watch