Bedfordshire Police urged to reassess domestic abuse protocols after Suseel Rana case
Coroner's report highlights flaws in Clare's Law application handling
Last updated 16th Jul 2026
Bedfordshire Police have been called to make changes to their handling of domestic abuse cases following the recent publication of a coroner’s report related to the death of 36-year-old Suseel Rana.
Suseel Rana died by suicide in May 2024 amidst ongoing domestic abuse concerns and mental health struggles.
A coroner's report has revealed failures in progressing her Clare's Law application, leaving her unsupported.
Clare’s Law, formally referred to as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS), allows individuals to request police disclosure about a partner's involvement in prior domestic violence incidents.
The report criticises significant misunderstandings by officers who halted the application prematurely, mistakenly believing the law is not applicable to former partners.
Furthermore, a lack of progression to a multi-agency decision-making stage potentially denied Suseel critical safeguarding measures.
Emma Whitting, the Senior Coroner for Bedfordshire and Luton, tasked Bedfordshire Police with responding by the end of last month, detailing their plans to rectify these issues.
According to Bedfordshire Police, existing policies were adhered to, with intelligence checks and supervisory reviews undertaken for Suseel's application.
Despite the decisions to not disclose, the Coroner's concerns suggest these actions weren't sufficient to protect her.
Detective Chief Inspector Louise Gent, Bedfordshire Police’s lead for domestic abuse said: "In this particular case, we followed the policy and guidance of ‘Right to Ask’ applications to fully progress and research the requests made.
"The outcome of this established there was no additional or relevant information to disclose in relation to the individual’s current or previous relationship.
“At the time of the applications, the individual was engaged with mental health services, had an allocated Victim Engagement Officer linked to an active investigation and was already known to and receiving assistance from a number of partner agencies."
Adding: "Domestic abuse remains a priority for our force. We know the impact domestic abuse has on victims, which is why we work closely with partner agencies and local authorities to ensure support is both comprehensive and effective in helping survivors overcome their experiences.
"A vital tool in our efforts is the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, known as Clare’s Law, which empowers people to make informed decisions about a relationship, and take necessary action regarding their safety. Since its implementation, we have vastly increased our proactivity in this area. Under the ‘Right to Know’ strand of the initiative we have increased disclosures through a better use of technology to identify and notify those who might be at risk of harm.
The force says it will continue to work closely with partners and encourages anyone with concerns about a current or former partner to make an application.