A woman faces murder charges after a body was found in a van. Harinder Kaur, 39, of Sutton Dene in Hounslow, west London, has been charged with murder and perverting the course of justice following the discovery of a man’s remains in a white Ford Transit van in Leicester. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that Kaur appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 2 June, where the case was entered and subsequently transferred to the London force for ongoing investigation.
The discovery
Leicestershire Police said officers forced entry into the Ford Transit van at approximately 5.30pm on 27 May after a member of the public reported concerns about the condition of the vehicle in a car park on Garden Street, Leicester. Inside, officers found the body of a man. The van, registered to an address in west London – specifically Hounslow – bore the registration BF18 VNV. The initial examination of the scene was carried out by officers from Leicestershire Police assisted by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, a collaborative unit drawing resources from Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire police forces to tackle serious, organised and violent crime.
Investigation and efforts to identify the victim
On Friday, 29 May – two days after the discovery – a 39-year-old woman was arrested at an address in Hounslow on suspicion of murder. The following day, 30 May, the Metropolitan Police took over the lead of the investigation. Detectives established a crime scene at a property in Sutton Dene, Hounslow, where Kaur lives. The charges against Kaur include perverting the course of justice, specifically in relation to allegations that she cleaned up the scene of the crime and disposed of the body. It has also been reported that Kaur’s husband is wanted in connection with the incident.
The victim is believed to be a man in his 30s, the Met Police said. Work is ongoing to formally identify him and inform his next of kin. No further details about the man’s identity have yet been released by authorities. Officers are appealing for anyone with information, particularly doorbell or dashcam footage that may have captured a white Ford Transit van with the registration BF18 VNV travelling to Leicester from London, to contact police on 101, quoting crime reference number 9873/28MAY. Anonymous reports can also be made to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The distance between Hounslow and Leicester is approximately 100 to 110 miles. Kaur, whose date of birth is 26 January 1987, appeared in court via a translator. The case is due to be heard at Leicester Crown Court at a date yet to be fixed.
