A murder charge has been authorised against the husband of a woman found dead in the boot of a car in east London.
The body of 24-year-old Harshita Brella was found in a silver Vauxhall Corsa in Brisbane Road, Ilford, on 14 November 2024.
Her husband Pankaj Lamba, aged 23, is believed to have fled the country after her death.
Announcing the charges against him on Wednesday, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) did not confirm whether or not Mr Lamba had been arrested, but it is understood that he has not yet been located.
In addition to the murder charge, the CPS said that Mr Lamba is also accused of two counts of rape, sexual assault and controlling or coercive behaviour.
Northamptonshire Police previously said they believed Brella was strangled in Corby on the evening of 10 November before her body was driven nearly 160km (100 miles) south to Ilford the next day.
Detective chief inspector Johnny Campbell said: “We are committed to securing justice for Harshita and her family and continue to offer our support at this difficult time.
“It remains an active investigation and as such, there continue to be aspects of the case that we are unable to comment on at this time.
“We would urge all parties to respect the judicial process to ensure the integrity of the proceedings.”
The CPS said the charges were laid at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Following her death, Brella’s family paid tribute to her, saying: “You left this world but you are still with us in our hearts and will always be there.”
They said in a statement: “We will never forget you till our last breath. Always stay with us. We miss you in every very moment of our life.”
Additional reporting by PA
