The Crown Prosecution Service and Northamptonshire Police charging statement on the death of Harshita Brella
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Northamptonshire Police have issued a joint statement regarding the investigation into the death of Harshita Brella in November 2024.
Samantha Shallow from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has reviewed a file of evidence submitted by the Northamptonshire Police, and has authorised a charge of murder against 23-year-old Pankaj Lamba in relation to Harshita Brella’s death.
“Lamba, formerly of Sturton Walk, Corby, is also charged with two counts of rape, sexual assault, and controlling or coercive behaviour.”
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings are active and defendants have the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell added: “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 charges were laid at Northamptonshire Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 19 March, 2025.
Notes to editors
- Samantha Shallow is the Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS East Midlands
The role of the CPS
Any decision by the CPS does not imply any finding concerning guilt or criminal conduct; the CPS makes decisions only according to the test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors and it is applied in all decisions on whether or not to prosecute.
It is not the function of the CPS to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent, and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for the criminal court to consider.
The CPS assessment of any case is not in any sense a finding of, or implication of, any guilt or criminal conduct. It is not a finding of fact, which can only be made by a court, but rather an assessment of what it might be possible to prove to a court, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. This assessment is based on the evidence available arising out of the present police investigation and not on the evidence that is likely to be gathered by the defence, and likely to be used to test the prosecution evidence. The CPS charging decision is therefore necessarily an assessment on the basis of the evidence that is available to the CPS at the time the decision is made.
CPS prosecutors must also keep every case under review, so that they take account of any change in circumstances that occurs as the case develops, including what becomes known of the defence case. If appropriate, the CPS may change the charges or stop a case.