New Delhi: India will again ask Canada for the extradition of designated Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dalla following reports of his arrest in that country.
“Canadian print and visual media have widely reported on the arrest (of Dalla). We understand that the Ontario court has listed the case for hearing,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday.
“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,” Jaiswal hoped.
Last year, India submitted extradition requests for Dalla and several other criminals and terrorists.
India had asked for Dalla’s provisional arrest in 2023 after New Delhi designated him as a terrorist.
“This was declined. Additional information was provided in this case,” Jaiswal said.
Jaiswal said Dalla is a fugitive in more than 50 cases of murder, attempted murder, extortion and terrorist acts, including terror financing. Even Interpol issued a Red Notice for the de-facto chief of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).
According to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Dalla fled from India to Canada, where he came in contact with Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was then chief of KTF. The duo recruited youths and formed terrorist gangs to carry out extortion to raise funds for the KTF.
In June 2023, Nijjar was shot dead by unidentified men in Surrey town of Canada’s British Columbia.
