Calgary doctor accused of two-year international child abduction denied bail
A Calgary physician accused of abducting his son and leading police on a two-year international search was denied bail, with a judge citing flight risk and multiple citizenships.
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By Torontoer Staff
A Calgary man accused of abducting his young son and leading police on a global search from Asia to the South Pacific has been denied bail. Justice Peter Barley ordered Muhammad Zia-Ur Rahman detained after the Crown argued he represents a significant flight risk.
Rahman, 62, appeared by video in a blue prison jumpsuit. The judge said Rahman could obtain replacement travel documents from other countries quickly, and that detention was necessary to prevent him fleeing before the matter can be resolved in court.
Court decision and reasoning
Justice Barley accepted the Crown's argument that Rahman could leave Canada if granted bail. In court he said he had no confidence he could prevent another country, including Turkey or Pakistan, from issuing a passport to the accused, and that Rahman could obtain a replacement document, book a flight the same day, and be gone before authorities were aware.
I do not think I could prevent Turkey or Pakistan from issuing a passport to the accused. The accused could obtain a replacement passport, book a flight that same day and be gone before anyone was aware. I order that the accused be detained.
Justice Peter Barley
Barley also noted Rahman faces one count of parental abduction and that he knows where his ex-wife and family live. None of the accusations have been proven in court. Details of bail hearings are normally subject to a publication ban, but no ban was imposed in this case.
Allegations and alleged planning
The Crown alleges Rahman abducted his son, then five years old, in December 2023. Police say the boy, now seven, was reunited with his mother shortly before Christmas. Rahman was arrested at an airport in Mauritius and returned to Calgary on Jan. 17.
Prosecutors say the alleged abduction was extensively planned. The Crown alleges Rahman forged documents, transferred more than half a million dollars overseas, purchased property in other countries, and attempted to create a new identity for the child. Court was told Rahman taught the boy to resent his mother while they were abroad.
The accused has multiple citizenships in countries that do not have extradition agreements with Canada.
Crown prosecutor Colin Schulhauser
The Crown also told the court Rahman was being pursued for roughly $1.6 million in alleged overpayments by Alberta Health at the time he left Canada. Defence submissions and further details of Rahman's circumstances were part of the bail record.
International investigation and arrest
Investigators say the pair travelled first to Turkey and then to other countries, including Russia, Azerbaijan and Vanuatu. The search involved co-operation between the RCMP, Global Affairs Canada, the Canadian Central Authority and Interpol. International alerts for both the father and the child contributed to locating and arresting Rahman in Mauritius.
Extradition and international co-operation can be complex when multiple citizenships and countries without extradition treaties are involved. Authorities cited those factors in arguing Rahman posed an unusual risk of leaving Canada if released.
What denial of bail means now
With bail denied, Rahman will remain in custody until his next court appearance. Being detained at the bail stage does not determine guilt or innocence; it reflects the judge's assessment of flight risk and public safety at this stage of proceedings. Rahman is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 2.
The criminal charge remains one count of parental abduction. The case is ongoing and any further developments will be addressed in court, where both sides will have the opportunity to present evidence.
Timeline
- December 2023: Child allegedly taken, age reported as five at the time
- Before Christmas (year not specified): Child reportedly reunited with mother
- December 2025: Rahman reportedly arrested at an airport in Mauritius
- Jan. 17, 2026: Rahman returned to Calgary
- Feb. 2, 2026: Next court appearance scheduled
The proceedings will continue through the courts, and authorities will provide updates as required under court rules and publication restrictions. For now, Rahman remains in custody as the legal process moves forward.
child abductionCalgarycourtInterpolinternational law
