Bail granted for man accused of abducting his young son

Muhammad Zia-Ur Rahman, accused of abducting his young son and spiriting him from the country, has been granted bail after spending more than six months in custody.

On Tuesday, Calgary Court of King's Bench Justice Peter Banks approved Rahman's release on strict conditions, including a $15,000 cash bail and an electronic ankle monitoring bracelet. He must also observe a nightly curfew and has no contact with his ex-wife, other family members, or the school where his son attends. Rahman cannot approach Calgary airport and must surrender any travel documents by July 6, though he no longer possesses any.

Rahman was arrested in Mauritius on December 16 last year after an Interpol alert. He consented to extradition to Canada in January, when Justice Peter Barley initially denied bail, finding the $15,000 amount "inconsequential" given that Rahman had possessed $50,000 cash before leaving for Turkey and had transferred more than US$560,000 overseas.

Rahman is accused of taking his then-five-year-old son from Canada in December 2023 and travelling to Turkey. He was arrested in Mauritius as a result of the Interpol alert and agreed to return to Calgary to face a charge of abduction as a result of a custody order.

Rahman is scheduled to face a five-day Court of Justice trial in February 2027. Because of concerns he could be released in the middle of the night, Banks' order stipulates Rahman won't be released from the Calgary Remand Centre before 8 a.m. Wednesday.