India to renew 2023 request to Canada for extradition of Arsh Dalla

NEW DELHI: India said on Thursday that it will renew a request made to Canada in 2023 for the extradition of Khalistani radical and designated terrorist Arsh Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla following reports of his arrest in that country.
Dalla is among more than two dozen criminals and terrorists for whom India has submitted extradition requests to Canada. External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted there have been media reports since 10 November about the arrest in Canada of Dalla, a proclaimed offender or fugitive and the de-facto chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).
“Canadian print and visual media have widely reported on the arrest. We understand that the Ontario court has listed the case for hearing,” Jaiswal said.
“In view of the recent arrest, our agencies will be following up on an extradition request. Given Arsh Dalla’s criminal record in India and his involvement in similar illegal activities in Canada, it is expected that he will be extradited or deported to face justice in India,” he said.
Jaiswal described Dalla as a fugitive in more than 50 cases of murder, attempted murder, extortion and terrorist acts, including terror financing. In May 2022, Interpol issued a Red Notice for him.
Dalla was designated by India as a terrorist in 2023. In July 2023, the Indian government requested the Canadian government for his provisional arrest. “This was declined. Additional information was provided in this case,” Jaiswal said.
A separate request was sent to Canada under the bilateral Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty to verify Dalla’s suspected residential address, his financial transactions to India, moveable and immovable properties, and details of mobile numbers. Information on all these matters was provided to Canadian authorities in January 2023.
In December 2023, Canada’s department of justice sought additional information on Dalla’s case. “A reply to these queries was sent in March this year,” Jaiswal said.
India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) has said Dalla fled from India to Canada, where he came in contact with Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead by unidentified men in June 2023 in Surrey town. Nijjar was then the chief of KTF, and the duo recruited youth and formed terrorist gangs for carrying out extortion to raise funds for the KT, according to NIA.
In January 2023, the ministry of home affairs declared Dalla as an “individual terrorist” under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
A native of Dala village in Moga district of Punjab, Dalla was believed to be operating from British Columbia. He is wanted by both Punjab Police and the NIA, which has offered a bounty of ₹10 lakh for him.