Bengaluru, January 11, 2026: In a development in the Bengaluru doctor couple murder case involving Dr. Mahendra Reddy, a surgeon, and his wife Dr. Kritika Reddy, a dermatologist who died in April 2025, Marathahalli police have filed a voluminous 3,700-page charge sheet in the murder case, naming the husband as the sole accused. The charge sheet has been submitted before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court, concluding a detailed three-month investigation.
Police said statements of 77 witnesses, including over 23 doctors, family members, colleagues and friends of the deceased, have been recorded. The investigation, led by Marathahalli police station Inspector Anil Kumar, includes crucial post-mortem reports and findings from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), which proved instrumental in determining that the death was not natural. Public Prosecutor P Prasanna Kumar said five major pieces of evidence strongly established the prosecution’s case against the accused doctor.
According to the charge sheet, Dr. Mahendra Reddy allegedly murdered his wife by administering a lethal dose of the anesthetic drug Propofol. Police said he used his medical knowledge to commit the crime and attempted to portray the death as natural, a claim that went unquestioned for six months until October, 2025.
Both doctors were employed at Victoria Hospital and were married on May 26, 2024. Less than a year later, on April 23, 2025, Dr. Kritika collapsed at her father’s house, where she had been staying due to health issues. Police said Mahendra had visited her and administered intravenous injections over two days, claiming they were part of her treatment. She was later declared dead at a nearby private hospital.
Initially, police registered an Unnatural Death Report. Investigators said the accused doctor allegedly opposed a post-mortem examination and pressured his father-in-law and others to resist an autopsy. "Being a doctor, he knew an autopsy would reveal the real cause of death,” said Prasanna Kumar. However, suspicions raised by Dr. Kritika’s sister, Dr. Nikitha M Reddy, led to continued demands for a deeper probe.
Six months later, the FSL report confirmed the presence of Propofol in multiple organs, conclusively establishing that the anesthetic had been administered. Following this revelation, the case was reclassified as murder under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Dr. Mahendra Reddy was arrested in October 2025 from Manipal, Udupi.
Investigators said the motives were multifaceted. Dr. Kritika had been suffering from health issues since childhood, which reportedly became a source of conflict in the marriage. Police said Mahendra accused her parents of concealing her illness prior to the wedding, which led to frequent arguments.
The charge sheet states that the accused maintained close relationships with more than 10 female doctors and several other women. When Dr. Kritika objected, tensions escalated between the couple. Police also alleged that Mahendra sent messages to a woman friend through a payment app, claiming he had killed his wife for her. When the woman replied that she did not accept such an act, he allegedly responded that he would remain a killer while she would live happily. Prosecutor Prasanna Kumar said ,“These messages clearly establish the motive and amount to a confession by the accused.”
According to investigators, the accused viewed his wife’s illness and her objections to his relationships as restrictions on his personal freedom. Police stated that this belief led him to see her as an obstacle to his “free lifestyle,” ultimately prompting him to plan her murder.
During interrogation, police uncovered evidence that Dr. Mahendra Reddy had illegally procured Propofol through unauthorized channels. The charge sheet documents the alleged unlawful procurement of the anesthetic drug used in the crime.
(Rh/VK)