A boy abducted more than two years ago from Calgary, who was flown across the world to different countries to avoid detection, has returned home after international police services arrested his father, officers said.
Investigators say the father, 62-year-old Muhammad Zia-Ur Rahman, was suspected of abducting his then 5-year-old son on Nov. 29, 2023, and then travelled to Montreal four days later, and then fled to Turkiye.
While gathering evidence, police say the suspect had “extensively planned” the abduction, even purchasing properties overseas, getting new passports, and relying on forged documents.
The search spanned several countries over two years, including Turkiye, Russia, Azerbaijan, and Vanuatu. Officers say the suspect even tried to create a new identity for the boy.
International alerts for both the suspect and the child ultimately led to an arrest on Dec. 16, 2025, police said. The man was spotted and detained by police while at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in Mauritius with his son, who then passed the information to the Calgary Police Service.
Officers say the boy’s mother reunited with her son after arriving in Mauritius from Calgary days later on Dec. 20, speaking with him for the first time in more than two years before flying back to Calgary the next day.
Rahman now faces one count of parental child abduction. He is in custody until he appears in court on Jan. 21.
The collaborative effort involved Calgary police, RCMP, Global Affairs Canada, the Canadian Central Authority, and Interpol.