Officers facing misconduct hearing in Harshita Brella case
Four police officers are facing misconduct charges over their investigation into Harshita Brella's reporting of abuse, who was later discovered dead in a car boot. In November 2024, a 24-year-old girl from Corby was discovered in a car in Ilford, east London, 100 kilometers (160 kilometers) from her home. After an inquiry by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), misconduct charges in connection with four of the force's officers are now underway, Northamptonshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Emma James. After a murder charge was allowed against the 23-year-old, a manhunt to locate Ms Brella's husband, Pankaj Lamba, who is believed to have left the UK for India, is still underway.
Ms Brella had contacted Northamptonshire Police on August 29, alleging violence by her then husband Pankaj Lamba, according to the IOPC. On September 3rd, he was arrested and released on police bail with conditions not to contact his wife and was given a domestic violence protection order. Ms Brella's body was discovered in the boot of a Vauxhall Corsa on November 14th, and it is believed she died by strangulation in Corby on the evening of ten November. On the 20th of November, the Northamptonshire service referred to the IOPC, a mandatory step due to officers' previous contact with Ms Brella.
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