Warning: I found the facts of this case very distressing.

In Bains v Arsalan & Anor (Funeral Arrangements) [2026] EWHC 1597 (Fam), Harleen, a Sikh baby of unmarried Sikh parents, died in 2020 aged 2 months after suffering fatal injuries at home. In August 2022, her father committed suicide [1-4] after being falsely accused of Harleen’s murder by her mother, and in November 2022, Harleen’s mother was charged with her murder and was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 19 years. She converted to Islam and changed her name from Sharandeep Kaur Talwandi to Zara Arsalan. For six years, Harleen’s body remained in a mortuary under the responsibility of the Coroner’s Office [5-8]. Continue reading →