A Calgary doctor, accused of a desperate act to keep his son, will appear in court this week seeking bail. Muhammad Zia-Ur Rahman, 62, has been detained since December, facing allegations of international abduction.
The case began to unfold last November when Rahman allegedly took his five-year-old son from his mother’s home. He then embarked on a journey, taking the child from Calgary to Turkiye, initiating a frantic search that spanned continents.
Authorities say Rahman was located at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramagoolam International Airport in Mauritius, a small island nation in the Indian Ocean. His arrest triggered a swift response, ultimately leading to a heartwarming reunion.
Just days after Rahman’s detention, the seven-year-old boy was safely returned to his mother in Mauritius. Sergeant Scott Mizibrocky confirmed the child was doing well, having been reconnected with his siblings and enrolled back in school upon their return to Calgary.
Rahman’s lawyer, Himmat Shergill, has scheduled a bail hearing for Friday afternoon, having consulted with the Crown prosecutor. The doctor, currently held at the Calgary Remand Centre, will not be present for this initial court appearance.
The police investigation, a complex undertaking involving the RCMP, Global Affairs Canada, the Canadian Central Authority, and Interpol, revealed a pattern of international travel. Over two years, the boy had lived or travelled through Turkiye, Russia, Azerbaijan, and even the remote island nation of Vanuatu.
Investigators are now focusing on whether Rahman received assistance in his actions, both within Canada and abroad. The scope of the investigation extends beyond the doctor himself, seeking to uncover any potential collaborators.
Rahman, a Canadian citizen, originally studied medicine in Pakistan before establishing his practice in Canada. The details surrounding his motivations remain under scrutiny as the legal proceedings unfold.
Sergeant Mizibrocky described meeting the mother and son upon their arrival back in Calgary, noting the boy’s positive adjustment to being home. The family is now focused on rebuilding their lives after this harrowing ordeal.
The upcoming bail hearing will be a critical step in determining Rahman’s fate as the legal process continues, and the full story behind this international search for a young boy begins to emerge.
