'Until proven guilty, he is innocent,' Suspect in Elnaz Hajtamiri case seeks bail

The case of Elnaz Hajtamiri's alleged kidnapping has taken another turn as one of the five men charged in connection with the incident is now seeking bail.

Akash Rana, 25, from Delta, B.C., was arrested earlier this month and charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence in the alleged assault and failed abduction attempt on the 37-year-old woman in her Richmond Hill parking garage in December 2021.

The attack left Hajtamiri with a head wound requiring roughly 40 stitches.

"Until proven guilty, he is innocent," said Rana's defence lawyer, Gurpreet Mangat, from outside the Newmarket courthouse Friday morning.

READ: Complete details on the Elnaz Hajtamiri investigation

On January 12, 2022, just weeks after the parking garage attack, investigators say Hajtamiri was forcibly taken from a Wasaga Beach home where she'd been in hiding with loved ones after learning tracking devices were found on her vehicle in Richmond Hill.

She hasn't been seen or heard from since, her whereabouts a mystery.

In the Newmarket courtroom Friday, Rana's lawyer expressed concern for his client's safety being jailed in the same Lindsay facility as two other accused men, Harshdeep Binner and Harshpreet Sekhon.

Binner was charged last year with attempted murder and attempted kidnapping.

Sekhon was arrested last month and faces the same charges as Rana in connection to the alleged frying pan attack.

Police say another man, Riyasat Singh, pleaded guilty last year to aggravated assault in connection with the frying pan attack and has since been deported.

Hajtamiri's former boyfriend, Mohamad Lilo, whom police say runs a shipping container business, is charged with attempted murder, kidnapping and criminal harassment. He's been behind bars since July.

Police are appealing to the public for help tracking down three more suspects, including 35-year-old Toronto man Deshawn Davis.

York Regional and Ontario Provincial Police are offering a $100,000 reward for information to help crack the case.

Rana's bail hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, with his lawyer confident he will be released on bail with a surety lined up.

The allegations against the remaining accused have not been tested in court.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

RCMP investigate fatal crash in Plympton, N.S.

Digby RCMP are investigating a single-vehicle crash that took the life of one person in Plympton, N.S.
A year after Fiona, a traumatized Newfoundland town backs away from the sea

One year after a wave driven by post-tropical storm Fiona slammed into the back of her house and twisted it like a corkscrew, some residents of Port aux Basques, N.L., are backing away from the sea.
Caleb’s superhero walk in Cape Breton returns in-person after four years

After four long years, Caleb's Walk, Run and Fly fundraising event has made it's return after being cancelled by COVID-19 and post-tropical storm Fiona.

Montreal

Montreal Marathon: Two runners suffer cardiac arrest at finish line

Two participants in Sunday's half-marathon in Montreal suffered cardiorespiratory arrest at the finish line, event organizers confirmed.
1 dead, 2 injured after partial building collapse in Montreal

One is dead and two injured after a building partially collapsed in Montreal on Saturday. A man's body was discovered in the rubble hours after the initial event.
'Our people are ready': General strike possible in Quebec health, education, social services

Thousands of public-sector workers carried turquoise flags Saturday afternoon through downtown Montreal. The workers, representing a collaboration of several unions, say they’re ready to launch general strike unless the Quebec government can give them a “respectable” offer.

Ottawa

Boy, 3, dies after falling from Ottawa high-rise

Ottawa police confirm a three-year-old boy has died after falling from an apartment on Donald Street Sunday afternoon.
House Speaker Anthony Rota apologizes after inviting man who fought for Nazis to Parliament

Several Jewish advocacy organizations condemned members of Parliament on Sunday for giving a standing ovation to a man who fought for a Nazi unit during the Second World War.
Memorial service honours fallen police officers days after RCMP officer slain in B.C.

Police officers from across the country gathered in Ottawa Sunday for a somber occasion. The last Sunday in September is the National Police and Peace Officers' Memorial Day, where those who died in the line of duty in the past year are remembered.

Toronto

Toronto woman hospitalized with botulism

A Toronto woman has been hospitalized in France with a severe case of botulism after eating improperly preserved sardines at a Bordeaux wine bar.
Passengers stuck upside down on Canada’s Wonderland ride

Passengers on a ride at Canada’s Wonderland were stuck upside down for almost 30 minutes on Saturday night.
'Milestone' OLG lottery jackpot to be drawn this week

A lucky lottery player will be the winner of a record-breaking multi-million dollar prize on Wednesday.

Kitchener

'I will never stop': Joshua Bennett's mother still seeking answers on two-year anniversary of his murder

Felisha Bennett is holding onto hope that someone will come forward with information on the murder of her 18-year-old son, Joshua Bennett, who was found dead on a Kitchener trail in 2021.
Another helmet added to Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Kitchener

A special ceremony was held in Kitchener Sunday to honour fallen firefighters, including Michael Pearce. A helmet with his name on it is the 18th added to the memorial.
Youth orchestra plays together for the first time since K-W Symphony cancelled its season

Former members of the Youth Orchestra played together for the first time on Sunday, one week after the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony abruptly cancelled its season.

London

Stanley Cup and NHL alumni coming to West Lorne, Ont. for Kraft Hockeyville week

Butch Purdue has been waiting to take his 11-year-old son Jimmy to see his favourite NHL team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sunday afternoon, the West Lorne residents picked up their free tickets to Wednesday’s exhibition game between the Leafs and Buffalo Sabres.
Western University Homecoming comes and goes without major incidents

London, Ont. police are asking for time to put together the numbers, but it appears Western University’s Homecoming went off without any serious incidents on or off campus.
Missing 11-year-old girl found safe: London police

London police are asking the public for help in looking for an 11-year-old girl who was last seen in the city's Glen Cairn neighbourhood on Saturday night.

Northern Ontario

House Speaker Anthony Rota apologizes after inviting man who fought for Nazis to Parliament

Several Jewish advocacy organizations condemned members of Parliament on Sunday for giving a standing ovation to a man who fought for a Nazi unit during the Second World War.
First Nations in northern Ont. seek over $100B to honour treaty promise

A legal battle playing out in a northern Ontario courtroom this month has seen an alliance of First Nations argue they are owed upwards of $100 billion for the Crown's failure to honour a 173-year-old treaty promise, while the federal and provincial governments claim they are either owed far less, or nothing at all.
Sudbury police investigating another motorcycle crash

One person has been taken to hospital following the second motor vehicle crash in Sudbury involving a motorcycle in 24 hours.

Windsor

Canadian autoworkers ratify deal with Ford Motor Company

Five days after reaching a tentative deal, Unifor members voted this weekend and have narrowly ratified a new three-year collective agreement with the Ford Motor Company.
Hundreds participate in walk for suicide awareness and prevention

Hundreds of people in Windsor, Ont. laced up their shoes and walked for a good cause on Sunday for the annual Suicide Awareness Walk.
'He meant a lot to me': Vigil held for man killed in Chatham, Ont. house fire

Loved ones are in mourning following the death of a Chatham man who lost his life in a house fire earlier this week.

Calgary

Family of Calgary man who was fatally stabbed at Marlborough Station holds vigil, calls for increased transit security

A vigil is being held on Sunday night for a Calgary man who was stabbed to death at the Marlborough Ctrain station last weekend.
Death of man in Pineridge home investigated by Calgary police

Calgary police are investigating the death of a man whose body was found in the community of Pineridge on Sunday.
Man hospitalized in life-threatening condition after incident at Calgary pub holding eating contest

Calgary paramedics took a man to hospital in life-threatening condition on Saturday after an incident at the Ship and Anchor pub.

Saskatoon

'Extremely alarming': Frustrations mount in Sask. village as residents protest 'QAnon queen'

Residents of a small village in southwestern Saskatchewan took to their trucks on Sunday to protest their town’s newest resident — a woman who claims to have legal standing as ‘queen’ of Canada.
Saskatoon study could improve search for unmarked graves at Indian Residential School sites

Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan are hoping to use an historic Saskatoon cemetery to test techniques that could one day help identify unmarked graves at residential school sites.
Saskatoon SPCA's Puptoberfest has tails wagging

Against a backdrop of golden autumn leaves on one of the last warm weekends of the season, dog enthusiasts and their four-legged companions gathered at Puptoberfest, a canine celebration hosted by the Saskatoon SPCA.

Edmonton

'It's such a jewel': New river valley park opens in northeast Edmonton Sunday

Edmonton's newest - and biggest - river valley park opened Sunday.
'It still hurts': Rally held for anniversary of discovery of mass graves in Ukraine

A rally was held Sunday to mark a year since the discovery of mass burial sites in Ukraine.
Chateh, Alta., evacuated again due to approaching wildfire

Residents of Chateh, Alta., have once more been forced from their homes by wildfire.

Vancouver

One dead after shooting in Richmond: RCMP

Homicide investigators were called to Richmond after a shooting early Sunday morning.
Wind warning upgraded for Vancouver Island, B.C. coast as 'significant fall storm' approaches

Wind warnings have been issued for most of Vancouver Island and coastal B.C. as a “significant fall storm” is expected to arrive Sunday night.
Friend, community members remember 'humble,' 'genuine' Mountie killed in shooting

Tributes are pouring in for Ridge Meadows RCMP Const. Rick O'Brien, who was shot and killed while executing a warrant in Coquitlam, B.C., on Friday.

'Until proven guilty, he is innocent,' Suspect in Elnaz Hajtamiri case seeks bail

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Stay Connected