New Delhi: Gangsters, terrorists, and fugitives account for most of India’s 26 extradition requests pending with the Canadian government. Among those in this notorious lineup is a gangster seen as an archrival of Lawrence Bishnoi, a Sikh extremist with suspected ties to the nephew of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, and an accused in a multi-crore synthetic drugs case.
Sources in Indian investigative agencies clarified that each extradition request contains multiple names.
In a weekly press briefing Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the extradition requests were sent “over the last decade or more”. “Several provisional arrest requests are also pending with the Canadian side,” he added.
Randhir Jaiswal went on to name five Canada-based individuals who he said “have been charged with terror and related crimes” in India—Gurjeet Singh, Gurjinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Lakhbir Singh Landa and Arshdeep Singh Gill.
Among the 26 whose extradition India has been seeking was Hardeep Singh Nijjar, chief of the separatist outfit Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). Nijjar was shot by unidentified assailants near a gurdwara in Surrey, Canada, on 18 June 2023. Weeks later, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set off a diplomatic row by claiming his government was “actively pursuing credible allegations” linking Indian government agents to Nijjar’s killing.
Addressing a commission set up to investigate foreign interference in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 elections, Trudeau conceded Wednesday that his government only had “intelligence” and not “evidentiary proof” when he first made the allegation regarding Nijjar’s killing last September.
Besides Nijjar, India had also sought the extradition of gangster Sukhdool Singh alias Sukha Duneke, who was killed allegedly as a result of an inter-rivalry gang war in Canada’s Winnipeg last September.
ThePrint looks at some of the others India has requested Canada to extradite, according to sources.
Gurjeet Singh Cheema
Gurjeet Singh Cheema, who hails from Jogi Cheema in Gurdaspur district of Punjab, was booked under stringent sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in a 2017 weapons recovery case registered in Amritsar.
He reportedly holds Canadian citizenship, lives in Brampton and is known to be associated with the banned terror outfit, International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF). He is suspected of staying in touch with Pakistan-based Lakhbir Singh Rode, the nephew of the radical Sikh preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
A court acquitted Gurjeet Singh Cheema of UAPA charges in 2020.
Gurpreet Singh
Gurpreet Singh, hailing from Punjab’s Moga, was also booked under the UAPA in the 2017 weapons recovery case.
Also believed to be an activist of the ISYF, he lives in Ontario. Interpol has issued a red corner notice against him.
A court acquitted Gurpreet Singh of UAPA charges in 2020.
Gurjinder Singh Pannu
Gurjinder Singh Pannu, born in Punjab’s Tarn Taran (Naushehra Pannuan), was booked in the same 2017 UAPA case.
He is believed to be living in Hamilton, Canada and holds Canadian citizenship. Interpol has issued a red corner notice for him.
According to Indian agencies, all three accused in the 2017 case have been involved in terror funding, radicalising Sikh youths and arms smuggling.
Arshdeep Singh Gill
Arshdeep Singh Gill, also known as Arsh Dalla, is suspected to be a member of the terror outfit KTF.
According to sources in the Indian agencies, Dalla is accused of terrorism, carrying out hits in India, and also having close ties with a gangster syndicate — Lucky Partial-Bambiha-Kaushal alliance — the archrival of the Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate.
Arsh Dalla has over 20 cases pending against him in India.
Lakhbir Singh Sandhu
Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa from Tarn Taran is a key Babbar Khalsa International operative, Indian agencies have alleged. His name has been featured in the National Investigation Agency’s latest list of suspects working for BKI.
According to sources, Lakhbir Singh Sandhu fled India in 2017. A gangster-turned-terrorist, he is currently believed to be working with Lahore-based terrorist Harvinder Singh alias Rinda. Landa “is operating from foreign soil to promote terror in the country”, the NIA has stated.
Pardeep Singh Dhaliwal
Pardeep Singh Dhaliwal was allegedly involved in a Rs 6,000 crore drugs case, commonly known as the ‘Bhola drugs case’, which the Punjab Police cracked in 2013.
Others wanted in the same case are Gursewak Singh Dhillon, Nirankar Singh Dhillon, Sarabjit Singh Sander, Amarjit Singh Kooner, Amrinder Singh Chheena, Lehmber Singh Daleh, Parminder Singh Deo alias Pindi, Ranjit Singh Aujla, and Ranjit Kaur Kahlon, a woman.
The FIR was lodged in Fatehgarh. India sent the extradition requests for those accused in this case to Canada in 2016-2017.
Jasvinder Pal Singh Walia
Jasvinder Pal Singh Walia is wanted in a rape and blackmail case, according to sources.
India sent his extradition request to Canada in 2022.
The case FIR was lodged in 2016 under rape and cheating and Arms Act sections at the Sarabha Nagar police station in Ludhiana.
Gurcharan Singh
Gurcharan Singh’s extradition request has been pending with Canada since 2003. Hailing from Fazilka district in Punjab, Singh is wanted in a cheating case.
Omkar Mal Aggarwal
Omkar Mal Aggarwal is wanted in a cheating and criminal conspiracy case. The case FIR was lodged in 2008. Subsequently, the CBI had taken over the investigation.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)