Before Carney’s India trip, Canada seeks to strip 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana of citizenship; Pakistan distances itself

In this image released by NIA on April 10, 2025, Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana with NIA officials upon his arrival at the IGI Airport, in New Delhi. (PTI File Photo)

Canada has begun revoking Tahawwur Hussain Rana’s citizenship for fraud ahead of PM Mark Carney’s India visit. Rana, extradited from the US, faces trial for his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Canada’s move is seen as a diplomatic signal to India.

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Just days before Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney travels to India, Ottawa has initiated proceedings to revoke the Canadian citizenship of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, an accused conspirator in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Carney is scheduled to visit India between February 26 and March 7, where he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit is aimed at advancing trade negotiations and repairing bilateral relations that had deteriorated under the previous Justin Trudeau government.

According to a report by Global News, the Canadian government has formally moved to strip Rana of the citizenship he acquired in 2001, citing fraud and misrepresentation during the naturalisation process.

Citizenship obtained through “serious and deliberate deception”

Rana, who was extradited to India from the United States in April 2025, is accused of playing a key logistical role in planning the 26/11 attacks that killed 166 people.

Documents accessed by Global News show that Canadian authorities concluded Rana used false residency claims to obtain citizenship. When he applied in 2000, Rana claimed he had lived in Ottawa and Toronto for the preceding four years.

However, a subsequent investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police found that he had spent nearly the entire period in Chicago, where he owned businesses and properties.

The report said Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada described Rana’s actions as a “serious and deliberate deception" and noted a clear “lack of respect for the citizenship laws of Canada".

Why Canada’s move has limited legal impact on India

While Canada has reiterated its opposition to capital punishment, legal experts cited in the report said Ottawa’s stance is unlikely to affect Rana’s prosecution in India.

Because Rana was extradited directly from US custody rather than from Canada, India is not bound by Canadian legal conditions related to the death penalty.

Both India and the United States allow capital punishment, and sources told Global News that Canada’s objections “does not hold much value anymore" given the manner of Rana’s transfer.

Rana’s background and role in the 26/11 plot

Rana is a Pakistani-born Canadian businessman who served in the Pakistani military before immigrating to Canada in 1997.

He was convicted in the United States in 2011 for providing material support to terrorism, including involvement in a separate plot targeting a Danish newspaper.

In April 2025, he was extradited to India to face trial for his alleged role in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

Indian investigators say Rana was a close associate of David Coleman Headley, who carried out reconnaissance for Lashkar-e-Taiba ahead of the attacks. Rana is also accused of maintaining links with Lashkar-e-Taiba.

NIA interrogation underway

Since his arrival in New Delhi, Rana has been in the custody of the National Investigation Agency, held at its headquarters under constant CCTV surveillance.

Investigators have reportedly questioned him for eight to ten hours daily, focusing on his alleged role in planning, logistics and coordination for the 2008 attacks.

Indian agencies view the case as a crucial opportunity to uncover deeper layers of the conspiracy and establish accountability for one of the deadliest terror attacks in the country’s history.

Pakistan distances itself

Pakistan has officially distanced itself from the proceedings, insisting that Rana is a Canadian national.

Islamabad has stated that Rana has not renewed his Pakistani documents for over two decades, a position that Indian officials have dismissed as an attempt to evade responsibility.

A diplomatic signal ahead of Carney’s visit

Canada’s move to revoke Rana’s citizenship is being seen as a significant political signal ahead of Prime Minister Carney’s India visit.

For New Delhi, the development reinforces India’s long-standing position that accountability for terrorism must override political sensitivities. With Rana now facing trial in India and Ottawa moving to formally disown him, Indian authorities see the case as a step toward long-delayed justice for the victims of 26/11.