New Delhi:
India will act on a November 10 request to Canada to extradite terrorist Arshdeep Gill alias Arsh Dalla, the de facto chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.
In a statement on
The ministry labeled Dalla a “proclaimed perpetrator,” named in more than 50 cases of murder, attempted murder, extortion and terrorist acts, including terrorist financing. He was designated a 'terrorist' in January last year and has also been accused in several cases filed by the National Criminal Investigation Department.
Delhi also believes that Dalla took over the leadership of the Khalistani terror group after Hardeep Nijjar was shot dead. The murder of Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, in June 2023 has sparked a diplomatic row with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in which he stated – without evidence – that “agents” from India were involved in the killing.
Our response to media questions about the arrest of a designated terrorist in Canada: https://t.co/c6CasRuteb pic.twitter.com/XfH4S5UzUr
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) November 14, 2024
Canada has rejected previous requests from India to hand over Dalla.
Dalla was arrested last month in Halton, Canada after being injured in an attack by unknown gunmen. Dalla was injured and sought treatment at a local hospital who alerted police. Police searched their vehicle — a gray Dodge Durango — and found bullet marks on the SUV, as well as two shell casings on the floor of the passenger seat, indicating Dalla and Singh also returned fire.
READ | Arshdeep Dalla, assistant to Hardeep Nijjar, detained in Canada: sources
A day later, Dalla's home was searched and a Taurus 9mm pistol, with a loaded magazine, was recovered, as well as a rifle, a shotgun and two high-capacity magazines in a gun safe.
READ | How gun battles in Canada led to the arrest of Khalistani terrorist Dalla
Dalla and the associate, Gurjant Singh, were arrested and are awaiting bail hearings.
Who is Arsh Dalla?
Dalla is from Moga in Punjab.
Dalla, a known aide to Nijjar, is credited with orchestrating multiple targeted killings through a network of sleeper cell killers. One of the more high-profile victims of his murderous network was Manohar Lal, a member of the Gurmeet Ram Rahim-led Dera Sacha Sauda in November 2020.
Experts believe that Dalla's sleeper cell network spans three continents: Canada and the United States in North America, parts of Europe, and Dubai, the Philippines and Thailand in Asia.
Sources have told DailyExpertNews that his vast criminal operation may also be supported by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) as he is known to be involved in smuggling weapons across the Pakistani border.
These are smuggled into Punjab through drone drops. There are also unconfirmed reports of terrorist acts in collaboration with another banned terrorist group, the Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Rivalry between Dalla and Bishnoi
Dalla's criminal network is believed to have a longstanding rivalry with that of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who incredibly runs his vast syndicate from a prison in Punjab.
The Bishnoi gang formed after the 2022 murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, and made headlines in April this year following a shooting incident outside Bollywood star Salman Khan's home in Mumbai.
READ | “Bishnoi gang linked to Indian government agents”: Canada's claim
The gang also killed Maharashtra politician Baba Siddique last month and was named by Canadian authorities in baseless allegations against India in connection with Nijjar's murder.
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