A district court in Indore has sentenced bank officer Amitesh alias Shalu Pateria to life imprisonment in the 2019 Shivani murder case. The court found him guilty of planning and killing his wife, Shivani Pateria, and then trying to make her death look like a snakebite case.
The case attracted attention because a cobra was allegedly used to create a false story around Shivani’s death. Post-mortem findings, forensic evidence, witness statements and other evidence helped investigators uncover the murder plot.
Murder Took Place in Indore in December 2019
The incident took place on December 1, 2019, in Sanchar Nagar, Indore. Shivani Pateria, aged 35, was taken to MY Hospital by her husband Amitesh and their tenant Nikhil.
Initially, the family was told that Shivani had been bitten by a snake. However, members of Shivani’s maternal family suspected that her death was not natural.
When the Station House Officer of Kanadiya Police Station reached the house, a dead cobra was also found at the spot.
Shivani’s uncle, Prabhat Dixit, raised suspicion over her death and alleged that she had been murdered.
Amitesh Bought Cobra From Rajasthan Before Murder
According to the investigation, Amitesh bought a cobra for around ₹30,000 from Alwar in Rajasthan. Alwar is about 620 kilometres from Indore. The snake was reportedly brought to Indore and kept hidden inside the house for around 11 days. Investigators found that the cobra was part of a planned attempt to make Shivani’s death appear to be caused by a snakebite.
Shivani Was Killed by Smothering, Court Finds
The court concluded that Amitesh killed Shivani by smothering her with a pillow. After killing his wife, he allegedly killed the cobra and used its fang to create marks on Shivani’s hand. The purpose was to make investigators and family members believe that she had died after being bitten by a snake. However, the medical and forensic evidence did not support the snakebite story.
Post-Mortem Report Exposed Snakebite Story
The post-mortem examination played an important role in the investigation.
The medical board found that Shivani had not died due to snake venom. According to the medical findings, the cause of her death was asphyxiation.
The findings indicated that Shivani’s mouth had been pressed with a pillow or a similar object, which stopped her from breathing.
The injuries found on her body, the condition of the bed and other physical evidence also supported the prosecution’s murder theory.
Shivani’s Family Had Suspected Foul Play
Shivani’s maternal family raised questions about the snakebite claim from the beginning.
On the morning of the incident, Amitesh reportedly told the family that Shivani had been bitten by a snake and needed to be taken to hospital.
When family members asked to speak with Shivani, they were reportedly told that she was unable to talk. Later, at around 5 PM, the family was informed about her death.
Shivani’s father-in-law Omprakash and sister-in-law Richa were also present in the house.
Family Made Serious Allegations Against Amitesh
Shivani’s father, Anand Dixit, alleged that Amitesh had planned the murder in advance. He also alleged that Amitesh had earlier tried to harm Shivani.
According to the family’s allegations, there had been an earlier attempt to strangle Shivani. The family also claimed that an attempt was made to poison her two days before the murder.
These claims formed part of the allegations and investigation surrounding the case.
Children Were Taken to Mall on Day of Incident
Shivani’s father alleged that Amitesh had conspired with his sister to murder Shivani. According to him, Shivani’s sister-in-law took both children to a mall on the day of the incident.
By the time the children returned in the evening, Shivani had already been taken to the hospital. The family claimed that doctors at the hospital told them Shivani had died around 10 to 12 hours earlier.
Family Raised Questions Over Snakebite Claim
Anand Dixit said that Shivani’s body had turned yellow instead of black. The family believed that her death was not caused by a snakebite.
Shivani’s father also demanded that a veterinary doctor conduct a post-mortem examination of the dead cobra.
The demand was made to verify details about the snake that was claimed to have bitten Shivani.
Marital Dispute Also Came Under Investigation
Shivani’s father said his daughter had been married to Amitesh for around nine years. He alleged that Amitesh was in contact with another woman in Delhi and wanted to end his marriage with Shivani.
According to the allegations made by the family, Amitesh had been living with the woman in Delhi. Shivani’s father claimed that he later went to Delhi and brought Amitesh back.
The family also alleged that Shivani was harassed over dowry demands. Her father claimed that the family had paid around ₹25 lakh in instalments.
Police Questioned Amitesh After Finding Suspicious Evidence
Based on witness statements and circumstantial evidence, police started suspecting Amitesh. Kanadiya Police detained him and questioned him for around two days.
According to the case details, Amitesh initially tried to mislead investigators. During questioning, he allegedly admitted that he frequently had disputes with Shivani and had killed her by smothering her with a pillow.
The investigation later focused on how the cobra was brought from Rajasthan and used in the alleged murder plan.
Police Collected Forensic Evidence From House
Police collected several items from the house for forensic examination. Evidence was collected from the bed, pillow cover, bedsheet, dead cobra and other materials found at the crime scene.
The bedsheet was reportedly found in a disturbed condition. Saliva-like stains were also found on the pillow cover. These findings raised further suspicion and became part of the forensic investigation.
Call Records and Voice Samples Used as Evidence
Recordings of conversations between Amitesh and his sister also came to light during the investigation.
The prosecution claimed that the conversations indicated a possible conspiracy and an attempt to cover up the crime.
The court considered call records, voice samples, forensic reports and witness statements while examining the case.
Neighbours and other witnesses also gave important statements. According to witnesses, only Shivani and Amitesh were present in the house at the time of the incident.
Amitesh later raised an alarm, called people to the house and claimed that Shivani had been bitten by a cobra.
Police Arrested Amitesh and Other Family Members
Following the investigation, Kanadiya Police arrested Amitesh Pateriya, his father Omprakash Pateriya and his sister Richa Chaturvedi.
A case was registered on charges related to murder, destruction of evidence and violations of the Wildlife Protection Act.
The prosecution presented medical, forensic and circumstantial evidence before the court during the trial.
Cobra Used in Murder Plot Was a Protected Wild Animal
Another important part of the case was the use of a protected wildlife species in the alleged murder plan.
Investigators found that the cobra was used to create a false snakebite story. The snake was later killed.
A case was registered against Amitesh under Section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, along with charges under the Indian Penal Code.
The court observed that illegally killing a protected wild animal and using it as part of a criminal plan was a serious offence.
Veterinary Report Confirmed Cobra Was Venomous
Dr. Uttam Yadav, a veterinarian at the Kamala Nehru Zoological Museum, examined the snake.
According to his report and testimony, the snake belonged to a venomous cobra species. The snake had a fang and venom gland.
The veterinarian stated that the bite of such a snake could be fatal and could cause paralysis.
However, Shivani’s post-mortem report found no evidence that she had died from a snakebite.
Court Sentences Bank Officer to Life Imprisonment
After a trial that continued for around six and a half years, the court delivered its decision.
On June 24, 2026, the court concluded that Amitesh had murdered Shivani by smothering her with a pillow. The court found that the murder was planned and an attempt was made to present Shivani’s death as a natural death caused by a snakebite.
Amitesh was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder.
He was also sentenced to three years in prison and fined ₹25,000 for killing the cobra. In addition, the court awarded him a two-year prison sentence for destroying evidence.
Conclusion
The Shivani murder case shows how medical and forensic evidence can play a major role in uncovering the truth behind a suspicious death. What was initially presented as a snakebite case was later investigated as a planned murder after doctors and investigators found that the physical evidence did not match the original claim.
The case also highlights the importance of post-mortem reports, forensic examination, witness statements and digital evidence in criminal investigations. Despite the attempt to create a false cause of death using a cobra, the medical findings helped establish that Shivani died due to asphyxiation. After a lengthy trial, the court held Amitesh guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
