Highlights:
- Canada is seeking to revoke the citizenship of Tahawwur Rana for alleged misrepresentation.
- The proceedings come ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s scheduled visit to India.
- Officials allege Tahawwur Rana falsely claimed continuous residence in Canada prior to receiving citizenship in 2001.
- Tahawwur Rana was extradited to India in April 2025 in connection with the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
- Canada’s Federal Court will determine whether Tahawwur Rana obtained citizenship through fraud.
Tahawwur Rana, 64, immigrated to Canada in 1997 and became a Canadian citizen in 2001. He is known to be a close associate of David Coleman Headley, also known as Daood Gilani, a US citizen identified as one of the main conspirators in the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people.
Indian authorities have described Tahawwur Rana as a mastermind behind the 26/11 attacks. In April 2025, Tahawwur Rana was extradited from the United States to India. Upon his arrival in New Delhi, he was arrested by India’s National Investigation Agency.
Prior to his extradition to India, Tahawwur Rana had been convicted in the United States for plotting an attack on employees of a Danish newspaper.
Tahawwur Rana Citizenship Application Under Scrutiny
The current legal action in Canada focuses specifically on Tahawwur Rana’s citizenship application. According to documents obtained by Global News, Canadian immigration officials notified Tahawwur Rana that they intend to revoke the citizenship he acquired in 2001.
When Tahawwur Rana applied for citizenship in 2000, he stated that he had lived in Ottawa and Toronto for the previous four years and had left Canada for only six days during that period. Canadian law requires applicants to meet specific residency requirements before being granted citizenship.
However, an investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police found that Tahawwur Rana had spent most of that time in Chicago. Authorities reported that he owned multiple properties and operated businesses there, including an immigration firm and a grocery store.
In a letter dated May 31, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada accused Tahawwur Rana of “serious and deliberate deception,” stating that he misrepresented his residence history and failed to disclose his absences from Canada. Officials said this led authorities to believe he had satisfied residency requirements when he had not.
Federal Court to Decide on Tahawwur Rana Citizenship
The Canadian government has referred the case to the Federal Court, which will determine whether Tahawwur Rana obtained citizenship through false representation, fraud, or concealment of material facts.
Tahawwur Rana’s Toronto-based immigration lawyer has appealed the revocation effort, arguing that the decision is unfair and violates his rights. A Federal Court hearing was held last week to consider the matter. Government lawyers have requested permission to withhold sensitive national security information from public proceedings.
An Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada spokesperson stated that revoking citizenship in cases of misrepresentation is necessary to protect the integrity of Canadian citizenship. The spokesperson added that the government does not take such actions lightly and emphasized that the Federal Court has final authority in these cases.
Diplomatic Context of the Tahawwur Rana Case
The timing of the Tahawwur Rana citizenship proceedings is significant, as it comes shortly before Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India. The case of Tahawwur Rana has been a longstanding issue in India due to his alleged connection to the Mumbai attacks.
While Canadian authorities have clarified that the citizenship revocation effort is based on alleged fraud rather than terrorism charges, the proceedings against Tahawwur Rana are likely to attract attention during diplomatic discussions.
The Federal Court’s decision will determine whether Tahawwur Rana retains his Canadian citizenship or whether it will be formally revoked. Until the court issues its ruling, Tahawwur Rana’s legal status as a Canadian citizen remains under review.
As the case progresses, Tahawwur Rana remains at the center of parallel legal and diplomatic developments involving Canada, India, and the United States.
