India on Thursday said that it will renew its request made to Canada for the extradition of Khalistani separatist and designated terrorist Arsh Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla.
India's renewed request comes after reports came in that Arsh Dalla was arrested in Canada. India made the request for Dalla’s extradition last year.
Arsh Dalla, who is designated as a terrorist by India, is associated with the banned terrorist outfit Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).
Dalla, a close aide of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, is among more than two dozen criminals and terrorists for whom India has submitted extradition requests to Canada.
“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.
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“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.
Dalla has been wanted over the incident that took place on October 28 in Milton.
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, movable and immovable properties, and details of mobile numbers.
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.
Born in Ludhiana, Arsh Dalla was designated as a terrorist by India in 2023. Reportedly, he ran terror modules on behalf of Nijjat, who was shot dead by unidentified men in June last year in Surrey, British Columbia.
Dalla is accused of multiple charges including murder, extortion, terror financing, targeted killings, and cross-border smuggling of drugs and weapons.
In January 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs declared Dalla an “individual terrorist” under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
He is wanted by both Punjab Police and the NIA, which has offered a bounty of ₹10 lakh for him.
