Amandeep was found dead with stab injuries on neck in the family-run grocery store 'Airport Foods' in Malton, near Mississauga, Ontario, on the morning of January 1.

Kamikar would be produced in the Brampton court on Wednesday to be formally charged with first-degree murder. Even as Homicide Squad of Peel Police, which is investigating the murder of 22-year-old, has so far not stated anything conclusive about the motive, Canadian daily, 'Toronto Sun', quoted sources as saying that it could be a case of "honour killing".

The news report in the daily added that "as part of the investigation, the police were looking into the possibility of the killing falling under the category of cultural honour murder involving a Sikh family conflict".

In Punjab, relatives of Amandeep, who hailed from Isru village in Ludhiana district, alleged that she was "murdered by her in-laws so that the loans for home and store, taken jointly in the name of Amandeep and her husband Gurinder Singh Dhillon in Canada, could be waived.

"As per rules in Canada, one can avail loan insurance and if any of the joint borrowers dies, the loan is waived. Amandeep and Gurinder had jointly taken loans for home and store," her cousin Kirandeep, a permanent resident of Canada who is on a visit to India these days, told The Indian Express. Kirandeep said the store, where Amandeep was murdered, was opened in August 2008.

Kirandeep, who is a resident of Brampton, claimed that Amandeep had shared her pain with her when she met her about six months ago. "She told me that she was under the constant surveillance of her father-in-law, who did not allow her to go anywhere independently. She also told me that she was not even allowed to make telephone calls," said Kirandeep.

Amandeep's family is taking care of her son Manmohan Singh, who would turn two in March this year, in Isru village. Amandeep had migrated to Canada in 2005 after her marriage with Gurvinder. Her family alleged that they had given lakhs of rupees to Amandeep's in-laws.

"We have told the Canadian investigating officials, who called us up, that Amandeep is likely to have been murdered by her in-laws," Amandeep's uncle Nirmal Singh told The Indian Express over phone from Isru. "We also do not rule out the possibility of involvement of Amandeep's husband in the murder," he added.

Nirmal claimed that as per information he received from Canada, surveillance camera records had provided vital clues leading to the arrest of Kamikar.

Both Nirmal and Kirandeep claimed that Kamikar had immigrated to Canada after divorcing his wife Harjinder Kaur.

Harjinder is staying in Saharanmajra village near Mandi Ahmedgarh, and Nirmal said that her son, Gurinder, has initiated the process to call her to Canada. Harjinder was not available for comments despite repeated attempts. A call made on the mobile phone number provided by Nirmal was answered by someone identifying himself as her nephew, who said that Harjinder was not well and hence could not talk.