NEW DELHI: India on Thursday said it will request the extradition of Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh, also known as Arsh Dalla, following his arrest in Canada. Dalla was arrested on October 28 in connection with a shooting incident in Ontario.
In a statement, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that India had been following Dalla’s activities for some time, and authorities are now working with Canada to secure his extradition.
Dalla, the de facto chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force, is a proclaimed offender in India with over 50 criminal cases against him, including charges of murder, attempted murder, extortion, and terrorism, including terror financing.
“Arsh Dalla is a proclaimed offender in over 50 cases of murder, attempt to murder, extortion and terrorist acts including terror financing. In May 2022, a Red Corner Notice was issued against him. He was designated in India as an individual terrorist in 2023. In July 2023, Indian govt had requested the Canadian government for his provisional arrest,” MEA spokesperson said
In the months that followed, India provided Canadian officials with additional information, including details of Dalla’s suspected residence, financial transactions, properties, and mobile numbers.
In December 2023, Canada’s Department of Justice sought more information from India, to which a response was provided in March 2024. With his recent arrest, Indian agencies are hopeful that Canada will cooperate in the process of extraditing Dalla to “face justice in India.”
The arrest follows intelligence reports linking Dalla to the shooting incident in Milton, which has further strengthened India’s case for his extradition. Authorities are now preparing to pursue formal legal action to ensure that Dalla faces the charges against him in India.