A 25-year-old man from British Columbia is the fifth person to be arrested in connection with the December 2021 attack on Elnaz Hajtamiri in Richmond Hill prior to her kidnapping.
Akash Rana of Delta, B.C. is charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, according to York Regional Police.
Rana remains in custody and is to appear next in court in Newmarket on March 9, police said.
On Dec. 20, 2021, officers responded to a report of a woman who had been attacked and struck with a frying pan in an underground parking garage on King William Crescent, near Yonge Street and Bantry Avenue.
The victim, Elnaz Hajtamiri, was taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries and the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle.
In 2022, three suspects were identified and charged in the violent attack. In February 2023, a fourth suspect was arrested.
On March 1, 2023, Rana was identified and charged, police said.
Hajtamiri, 37, was abducted Jan. 12, 2022 at approximately 8:30 p.m. from a Wasaga Beach residence by three suspects dressed in fake police gear. They fled in a white Lexus RX SUV.
York Regional Police continues to work with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in this investigation.
A $100,000 reward remains in place for information on the abduction of Hajtamiri.
On April 13, 2022, York Regional Police arrested and charged Riyasat Singh with attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, mischief to property over $5,000 and possession of stolen property over $5,000 in the Richmond Hill incident. On Nov. 28, 2022, Singh pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault and was sentenced to one of year jail time, however he was deported on Dec. 14, 2022.
Also, in April 2022, a Canada-wide warrant was issued for a suspect, identified as Harshdeep Binner from Brampton. He was charged with attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, mischief to property over $5,000 and possession of stolen property over $5,000. Binner currently remains in custody at this time and will appear next in Newmarket Court on March 9, 2023.
On July 12, 2022, Mohamad Lilo, Hajtamiri's ex-boyfriend, was arrested by YRP and the OPP in relation to the underground attack and was charged with attempted murder and attempted kidnapping.
On Feb. 16, 2023, Harshpreet Sekhon was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court March 7, 2023.
York Regional Police is still seeking public assistance in identifying additional individuals who may have been involved in the planning or assisting in the violent assault of Elnaz Hajtimiri. Anyone with information is asked to contact the York Regional Police #2 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 1-866-876-5423, ext.7241
Anyone with information is asked to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
