Family members ask why the killer hasn’t been caught for 12 months.

A year after Harshita Brella was strangled to death in the UK, there is an air of disbelief in her home in India’s capital Delhi.

“Why hasn’t her killer been caught yet? Neither the British government nor the Indian government is doing anything,” said Sudesh Kumari, Harshita’s mother. “I want justice for my daughter. Only then can I find peace.”

Harshita’s body was found in the boot of a car in Ilford, east London, on November 14, 2024. The discovery came a day after Harshita’s family contacted British police saying they had not heard from her since November 10.

Police believe Harshita, 24, was murdered by her husband Pankaj Lamba that day in Corby, Northamptonshire. Pankaj Lamba fled to India soon after the killing and is still on the run.

The couple, who are Indian, moved to the UK from Delhi earlier that year and settled in Corby.

In March this year, Northamptonshire Police charged him with murder. He was also charged with rape, sexual assault and controlling or coercive conduct.

Harshita’s sister Sonia Dabas is frustrated with the pace of the investigation.

“We are very disappointed with the British police. Perhaps that is why they are not serious about this incident because we are not British citizens. They are sending the message that foreigners are not safe in the UK,” she told the BBC.

On September 3, about two months before Harshita was murdered, Harshita filed a domestic abuse lawsuit against her husband. He was arrested and later released on bail on the condition that he not harass, harass or threaten Harshita.

The Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) expired four weeks later, on October 1.

Sonia accused Northamptonshire Police of failing to follow up on domestic violence incidents. “It was then that Pankaj realized that the British police were not taking the case seriously and he felt he could get away with murder,” she says.

Four officers from Northamptonshire Police are being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over their handling of Harshita’s domestic abuse reports and their interactions with her.

The IOPC told the BBC this week that its investigation had been completed and details had been shared with Northamptonshire Police. Northamptonshire Police said it had been given a deadline of mid-November to respond to the IOPC’s findings.

Northamptonshire Police said: “This is a very complex case and, as criminal proceedings are currently ongoing in the UK, we are unable to provide further details about the investigation at this time. However, we can confirm that the Indian authorities have been made aware through the appropriate channels for a decision to charge.”

The Indian government told the BBC it was in contact with the British government on the matter, but neither side gave a clear answer on whether an extradition notice for Pankaj Rambha had been served on Indian authorities.

Harshita’s family also told the BBC that they believed Pankaj Lamba was in India under the protection of Indian police.

Sonia said, “One of his relatives is a police officer. He was caught on CCTV withdrawing money from a bank in March this year. So why hasn’t he been found yet?” The family also said they had information earlier this year that Pankaj was running a shop in Gurgaon, not far from where they live.

“They (Delhi police) are just biding their time,” Sonia said.

Delhi police did not respond to Sonia’s accusations. They told the BBC that they had acted based on a dowry complaint filed by Harshita’s parents against Mr Lamba, who was arrested and is currently out on bail, and his family, including his parents and younger sister.

Delhi police also issued a notice earlier this year offering a reward for information about Mr Lamba and said the search for him was still ongoing.

Pankaj Rambha’s home is in the village of Dharauli, about 65km north of Delhi, not far from Gurgaon, where the Brela family believe he was seen last March. His parents, Sudesh and Darshan Lamba, did not want to be interviewed when the BBC visited.

But they dismissed all charges against them and their son. They claim that Harshita’s family has not had any contact with him since November 10, 2024, the last day they had contact with him.

Harshita’s father, Satbir Singh Brella’s days are filled with visits to police stations and courts.

“My daughter was really honest and kind-hearted. Something really terrible happened to her,” he says.

Her mother points to the shoes she is wearing. It belonged to Harshita and was among the British possessions returned to her family by British officials who visited them in July.

“It’s tight on me, but when I wear it, I feel close to her,” says Sudesh Kumari. “Sometimes I think she’s still in England and I can’t believe she’s gone.”

Additional reporting by Aakriti Thapar, Adnan Bhat, Sanjay Ganguly