Canada points to fraud rules as Tahawwur Rana faces potential loss of citizenship

Canada's immigration authorities have declined to comment on the specific citizenship case of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani-born Canadian citizen accused of involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, citing privacy laws and respect for ongoing legal processes. But the authorities have pointed to fraud roles as grounds for revocation of citizenship.

In a statement to WION, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said: "Due to privacy legislation and out of respect for the judicial process, we cannot comment on individual cases or ongoing litigation."

The remarks came amid reports that the Canadian government has initiated proceedings to revoke Rana's citizenship, which he obtained in 2001 after immigrating in 1997.

Documents obtained by Canadian media, Global News, indicate that IRCC has notified Rana of its intent to strip him of citizenship, pointing to alleged misrepresentation rather than his terrorism-related accusations. IRCC guidelines explain that Canadian citizenship may be revoked if an individual "committed fraud, misrepresented yourself [or] knowingly hid information on an immigration or citizenship application." If revoked, the person must wait 10 years from the date of revocation before reapplying. The process involves a Request for Information letter, giving 30 days to respond, followed potentially by a Notification Letter with 60 days for further evidence. The Federal Court typically decides such cases, though individuals can request the Minister to rule instead.

Rana's situation, could be a case of falsely declared information. Rana, a former military doctor turned businessman, is known to have supported Pakistan terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba in the Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people. He was extradited from the US to India in April 2025 to face trial there. The revocation reports, coincides with efforts to improve Canada-India relations ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to New Delhi.