A 25-year-old Indian-origin man, Sukhpreet Singh, has been extradited to Ontario from Texas in connection with the 2021 disappearance of Iranian-Canadian woman Elnaz Hajtamiri, a case that shocked Canada.
York Regional Police confirmed Singh’s arrest after cooperation between U.S. and Canadian authorities, including the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security, and Austin Police Department. Singh, who previously lived in Mississauga, faces charges of aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
Authorities say Singh was involved in an earlier attack on Hajtamiri in December 2021, when she was allegedly struck with a frying pan—requiring 40 stitches—weeks before her abduction.
The Disappearance of Elnaz Hajtamiri
Hajtamiri, 37, moved from Iran to Canada in 2018 and worked in the import-export industry. On January 12, 2022, she was kidnapped by three men posing as police officers from her relative’s home in Wasaga Beach. She has not been seen since and is presumed dead.
Police believe her ex-boyfriend, Mohamad Lilo, orchestrated the attacks. Lilo, along with seven others including Singh, has been charged in the case. The investigation suggests Lilo targeted Hajtamiri after she reported him to police for harassment following their breakup in late 2021.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Singh fled Canada but was tracked down in Texas. “Criminal aliens will find no refuge in the U.S.,” ICE stated after his arrest.
A $100,000 reward remains in place for information leading to Hajtamiri’s whereabouts.
