In March this year, police in Northamptonshire charged him with murder. He also faces charges of rape, sexual assault and controlling or coercive behaviour.
Harshita’s sister Sonia Dabas is frustrated with the pace of investigations.
“We are very disappointed with the UK police. Maybe because we are not citizens of the UK, that’s why they are not serious about this case. They are sending out a message that foreign nationals are not safe in the UK,” she told the BBC.
Roughly two months before Harshita was killed, on 3 September, she had filed a case of domestic abuse against her husband. He was arrested and later released on bail on condition that he did not harass, pester or intimidate Harshita.
The Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) expired four weeks later, on 1 October.
Sonia accuses Northamptonshire Police of being negligent in following up on the domestic abuse case. “That’s when Pankaj figured out that the UK police are not really serious about this case and he felt he could get away with murder,” she says.
Four officers of the Northamptonshire Police are being investigated over their handling of Harshita’s domestic abuse report and their interaction with her, by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).