'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.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
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
Liberals still have faith in David Johnston's work on foreign meddling: House leader
Government House leader Mark Holland says the federal Liberals still have faith in the man they appointed to investigate the issue of foreign interference in Canadian elections.
Early estimates indicate 200 structures damaged in Halifax-area wildfire
Approximately 200 homes or structures have been damaged by the wildfire that began burning Sunday in the Upper Tantallon, N.S., area, according to preliminary estimates.
Federal politicians congratulate Alberta's Danielle Smith on election win
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is congratulating Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her election win, after she called out his 'harmful' energy policies in her victory speech.
Top AI CEOs, experts raise 'risk of extinction' from AI
Top artificial intelligence executives including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Tuesday joined experts and professors in raising the 'risk of extinction from AI,' which they urged policymakers to equate at par with risks posed by pandemics and nuclear war.
Toronto Blue Jays player shares anti-LGBTQ2S+ video telling people why they should boycott Target
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Anthony Bass has garnered social media attention once again after sharing an anti-LGBTQ2S+ video on his Instagram.
Danielle Smith's UCP holds onto power in Alberta
Danielle Smith is still the premier of Alberta, surviving a vigorous campaign and a tight vote Monday against NDP challenger Rachel Notley.
opinion
opinion | Don Martin: The lessons for Pierre Poilievre from the Alberta election
Danielle Smith's win in the Alberta election hands her the most starkly divided province confronting any premier in Canada, writes commentator Don Martin.
'This has been called a genocide': New book details the fight for missing, murdered Indigenous women, girls
New investigative book 'Unbroken' shares the stories of families raising awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada.
opinion
opinion | Tom Mulcair: David Johnston should leave graciously while he still can
If indeed a majority of the House of Commons says David Johnston has to step down, he'll have no choice but he shouldn’t wait to be shoved. He should leave graciously while he still can, writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair.
Atlantic
-
Early estimates indicate 200 structures damaged in Halifax-area wildfire
Approximately 200 homes or structures have been damaged by the wildfire that began burning Sunday in the Upper Tantallon, N.S., area, according to preliminary estimates.
-
Some Halifax residents say they received confusing communication amid wildfire
As wildfires grew and traveled through the suburban area northwest of Halifax, some of the 16,000 evacuated residents say they received confusing advice about what to do.
-
Shelburne County wildfire still out-of-control, grows to over 10,000 hectares
An out-of-control wildfire in Nova Scotia’s Shelburne County has grown to more than 10,300 hectares.
Montreal
-
Driver who crashed into Montreal bus shelter dies in hospital
The driver of the vehicle that crashed into a Montreal bus shelter on Friday has died. Montreal police (SPVM) confirmed on Tuesday that the 21-year-old driver, who was in critical condition, succumbed to his injuries.
-
Montreal is spending $30 million to expand and improve bike paths
The City of Montreal announced Tuesday that it would develop over four dozen projects aimed at expanding and improving the metropolis's bike path network. The 53 projects estimated to cost $30 million will develop and upgrade 59.1 kilometres in the cycling network, spanning 14 boroughs and four other municipalities, the city said in a news release.
-
Language Commissioner: Air Canada received three times as many complaints as usual
Air Canada has been the subject of three times as many complaints under the Official Languages Act as in a typical year, reveals the latest report from Canada's Commissioner of Official Languages, Raymond Théberge.
Ottawa
-
Shopify faces class action over severance offered to recently laid off staff
A class-action lawsuit alleges Shopify Inc. reneged on a deal it offered some employees who were laid off in a recent round of cuts.
-
Firefighters battle roof fire overnight in Metcalfe
Ottawa firefighters encountered a challenging fire in Metcalfe overnight.
-
Orleans residents concerned about road plan around future LRT station
Residents in Orléans and the local councillor are raising concerns about the updated road design near the new Convent Glen LRT station.
Toronto
-
Toronto Blue Jays player shares anti-LGBTQ2S+ video telling people why they should boycott Target
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Anthony Bass has garnered social media attention once again after sharing an anti-LGBTQ2S+ video on his Instagram.
-
Ontario mayor wants to change 'O Canada' lyrics
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie hopes the city will support calling on the federal government to change the lyrics of “O Canada.”
-
New details emerge on landlord who allegedly shot engaged couple near Hamilton, Ont.
New information has emerged about the fatal shooting of an engaged couple fleeing their landlord after a dispute near Hamilton, Ont.
Kitchener
-
Four-way stop planned for intersection where bus driver and OPP officer killed
The rural Oxford County intersection where an OPP officer and a school bus driver were killed Monday was less than a month away from becoming a four-way stop when the deadly crash happened.
-
Devastating double loss: Community in mourning as OPP officer and respected school bus driver killed in crash
Messages of support continue to come in following the death of an OPP officer and a school bus driver. Both were killed in a crash when their vehicles collided at Oxford Road 33 and Highway 59 northwest of Woodstock.
-
SIU investigating after man shot by Brantford police officer
Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating after a Brantford police officer shot a 27-year-old man.
London
-
Devastating double loss: Community in mourning as OPP officer and respected school bus driver killed in crash
Messages of support continue to come in following the death of an OPP officer and a school bus driver. Both were killed in a crash when their vehicles collided at Oxford Road 33 and Highway 59 northwest of Woodstock.
-
Possible match found for 'Babs' the dog
Babs the dog may have found her forever home after a London couple brought her home Monday night for a trial stay.
-
Extreme heat and poor air quality trigger special weather statement
Those at risk of being impacted by poor air quality are kids and the elderly with underlying medical conditions such as lung or heart disease.
Northern Ontario
-
9 active wildfires in northeastern Ontario, 1 highway closed
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) is reporting nine active wildfires in northeastern Ontario on Monday.
-
Police officer, school bus driver killed in violent crash north of Woodstock, Ont.
An Ontario Provincial Police officer and a school bus driver are dead after a violent crash north of Woodstsock Monday morning.
-
Iroquois Falls lakeside residents overflowing with flood concerns, as Nellie Lake water levels rise
Mitch and Donna Bujold moved to their Nellie Lake lot in 2018 for the lakefront view and access to the water, but in recent weeks, it seems the lake has been keen on accessing their property too.
Windsor
-
Man arrested after knife-point robbery of senior at bus stop
Windsor police have arrested a 64-year-old man after a knife-point robbery of senior at bus stop.
-
Anonymous tip leads to arrest of downtown theft suspect
The Windsor police say an anonymous tip led to the arrest of a 34-year-old man in connection with a theft downtown.
-
Minor injuries reported after Lakeshore crash
Drivers in the area are to expect delays while emergency crews investigate and clear the scene
Calgary
-
Even with majority, UCP's Copping, Nixon and Milliken lose seats in Calgary
Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party won the election last night but the Alberta NDP made some inroads in Calgary, the city where most of the month-long campaign was fought.
-
Danielle Smith's UCP holds onto power in Alberta
Danielle Smith is still the premier of Alberta, surviving a vigorous campaign and a tight vote Monday against NDP challenger Rachel Notley.
-
Banff rapist's appeal of parole board decision dismissed
The appeal division of Parole Board of Canada has dismissed an application from a man who violently attacked and raped a woman in Banff almost 20 years ago.
Saskatoon
-
'I don't care what people think': Undersized Blades prospect looks forward to proving people wrong
The Blades drafted Benjamin Bowtell in the sixth round of the 2023 Bantam Draft back in April.
-
City of Saskatoon says kitchen pails left hanging on green bins are leading to missed collections
Some Saskatoon residents haven't taken the included kitchen compost pail off their green bins and it’s leading to missed collections.
-
'This gives people a chance to get to the city': Saskatoon speed rail line concept looking for public support
In a province where there are vast distances between cities and towns, one local group is hoping to get public support for an idea to bridge those gaps with a rail line.
Edmonton
-
Danielle Smith's UCP holds onto power in Alberta
Danielle Smith is still the premier of Alberta, surviving a vigorous campaign and a tight vote Monday against NDP challenger Rachel Notley.
-
NDP dominates Edmonton as UCP wins Alberta election
The NDP has been elected or leads in all Edmonton ridings early Tuesday morning after the UCP won a majority government in Alberta late Monday night.
-
Even with majority, UCP's Copping, Nixon and Milliken lose seats in Calgary
Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party won the election last night but the Alberta NDP made some inroads in Calgary, the city where most of the month-long campaign was fought.
Vancouver
-
Resource crisis at Surrey hospital leads to 1 newborn death and countless near misses: frontline workers
A group of women’s health providers at Surrey Memorial Hospital is the latest working on the frontline to raise alarms about British Columbia’s deteriorating healthcare system.
-
Widow of West Vancouver man who drowned trying to save dog describes desperate struggle in the water
The widow of a man who died trying to save a dog from drowning in West Vancouver is remembering her husband as a brave man with endless compassion.
-
Danielle Smith's UCP holds onto power in Alberta
Danielle Smith is still the premier of Alberta, surviving a vigorous campaign and a tight vote Monday against NDP challenger Rachel Notley.