Glenda Luymes, The Province

On the day Manjit Panghali's baby was due to be born, her husband Mukhtiar appeared in court, charged with her murder..

"We should be in the hospital, welcoming the newest member of our family," said Manjit's sister, Jasmine Bhambra.

"This is a very bittersweet moment for us. While we are relieved . . . we are still processing through the reality of this nightmare."

Manjit's charred body was found off Deltaport Way on Oct. 23, six days after she left home to attend a prenatal yoga class. She was four months' pregnant.

On Friday evening, her 35-year-old husband was arrested in Surrey and charged with second-degree murder. His brother, Sukhvinder, 27, was arrested in Richmond and charged as an accessory to murder.

While at the Delta police station that night, the 27-year-old allegedly tried to escape, assaulting a police officer who later required surgery to his shoulder.

Documents filed in Surrey Provincial Court show Sukhvinder is charged with assault causing bodily harm to Const. Sean Chodat, obstruction, assaulting a peace officer and attempting to escape.

Delta Const. Sharlene Brooks said Sukhvinder was taken to hospital and soon released with a bruise on his forehead and carpet burns on his knees.

At the brothers' first appearance in court yesterday, Sukhvinder appeared to walk with a slight limp and stared into the gallery.

"It's a difficult time," his lawyer, Marvin Stern, said outside court. "He didn't expect to be in this situation. He asserts his innocence, as he has from the beginning."

In court, Mukhtiar sat quietly beside his brother and looked at the judge. A Sikh, he was not wearing his usual head covering.

Both men are also charged with interfering with a dead body.

Court documents show police believe the brothers "did improperly or indecently interfere with, or offer an indignity to, a dead human body . . . by setting on fire the human remains of Manjit Panghali."

The two men were remanded in custody to await a bail hearing.

Manjit's sister said the days since the 30-year-old mother's death have been "painful and exhausting" for her family.

Tears filled her eyes as she spoke about a woman who was "vibrant, funny, devoted, inspiring, honest and gentle."

Resham Basra, Manjit's father, clutched a photograph to his chest and wiped away tears with a tissue.

The Panghali family was not at the news conference.

Yesterday afternoon, both families attended a custody hearing in Surrey Provincial Court, where a judge granted joint guardianship of Manjit's three-year-old daughter to both parties.

Teachers at North Ridge Elementary School, where Manjit taught Grade 1, planned to acknowledge her husband's arrest in "an age-appropriate way," said school district spokesman Doug Strachan.

Counselling would be available at the elementary school, as well as at Princess Margaret Secondary, where Mukhtiar is a physics teacher.

Strachan said Mukhtiar is "on leave," although he could not say if it was paid or unpaid. The Surrey School Board will consider his case in a closed hearing.

Brooks said police don't anticipate further arrests.

"The past few months have been very difficult for everyone affected by this terrible tragedy," Delta police Chief Jim Cessford said in a statement.

© The Vancouver Province 2007