Pankaj Lamba, the subject of an international manhunt following the death of his wife Harshita Brella, has been charged with her murder. The charges also include two counts of rape, sexual assault, and controlling or coercive behavior.
Brella, 24, was discovered in the boot of a silver Vauxhall Corsa on November 14 in Brisbane Road, Ilford, east London. A post-mortem examination revealed that she died from strangulation. Lamba, who lived with Brella in Corby, Northamptonshire, is believed to have fled the UK after her death.
Samantha Shallow from the Crown Prosecution Service announced on Wednesday that charges were filed following a review of evidence submitted by Northamptonshire Police. Lamba has been charged in absentia, with the proceedings taking place at Northampton Magistrates’ Court.
This development follows the arrest of Lamba’s parents, Sunil Devi and Darshan Singh, by Delhi police on March 14. Their investigation is separate from the one in the UK and has been registered under the offence of dowry death, which pertains to situations where a woman dies as a result of disputes over dowry—the property or money brought by a bride to her husband at marriage.
Under Indian law, dowry death cases involve the death of a woman due to burns or bodily injury within seven years of marriage if she experienced cruelty or harassment related to dowry demands.
Surendra Chaudhary, deputy commissioner of police in Delhi, stated that efforts are underway to locate Lamba’s sister, Uma, who is currently absconding. “Raids are ongoing to apprehend her,” he said.
Sonia Dabas, Brella’s sister, expressed relief over the arrests of Lamba’s parents and the initiation of criminal investigations. She criticized previous law enforcement inaction and noted that the involvement of the Delhi High Court has prompted a more proactive response. “Now that they have been asked to submit a status report next week, they’ve gotten their act together. The pressure from the courts has triggered this action,” she commented.
The Brella family believes that Lamba was on a flight to Delhi that arrived on November 12, suggesting he may be in Haryana or near Chandigarh in northern India. Lamba’s family hails from the village of Dharoli, where his parents and sister still reside. Following the announcement of the manhunt, the village community closed ranks, preventing outsiders from entering due to the shame brought by the case.
Lamba lived in the village until completing primary school and later pursued higher education while staying with his uncle and aunt in Gurugram, south of Delhi. Lamba and Brella were in an arranged marriage, having legally wed in August 2023 before relocating to the UK in April 2024.
Following the charges filed on Wednesday, Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell from Northamptonshire Police stated, “We are committed to securing justice for Harshita and her family and continue to offer our support at this difficult time. This remains an active investigation, and there are aspects of the case we are currently unable to comment on. We urge all parties to respect the judicial process to uphold the integrity of the proceedings.”
Credit: Sky News
