New Delhi: India will seek extradition of proclaimed offender and designated terrorist Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla from Canada following his arrest by local police there in light of a gangland shooting. “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,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement Thursday.
Government sources said now that it has been established that Gill is indeed in Canada and has been arrested, India will file for an extradition.
In its statement, the MEA described him as a proclaimed offender and “de facto chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force”, the Sikh separatist outfit earlier headed by Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Giving details of the exchange between the two countries since last July over Gill’s case, the MEA underlined that he is wanted in more than 50 criminal cases including murder, attempt to murder, extortion and terrorist acts including terror financing. In May 2022, an Interpol Red Corner Notice was issued against him and he was designated an individual terrorist by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in January 2023.
“In July 2023, the Government of India requested the Canadian government for his provisional arrest. This was declined. Additional information was provided in this case,” the MEA said. It added that a separate request was sent to Canada under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to verify Gill’s suspected address, financial transactions traced to India, moveable/immovable properties, details of mobile numbers etc.
All of these details, said the MEA, were shared with Canadian authorities in January 2023.
In December 2023, the Department of Justice Canada sought additional information on the case. The same was shared in March this year, it added.
Gill, a close operative of slain KTF chief Nijjar, is wanted by various Indian investigating agencies including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), besides the Punjab Police. According to an NIA chargesheet, Gill began as an extortionist before signing up with Nijjar’s KTF and later planned acts of terrorism to challenge the sovereignty of India.
Also Read: Rise of Arsh Dalla, from Moga boy to Nijjar aide, and now top dog at banned Khalistan Tiger Force