Terrorism, extortion, murder: India's case for Arsh Dalla's extradition
India is intensifying its efforts to extradite Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh Gill, aka Arsh Dalla, from Canada. Dalla faces over 50 charges in India, including murder, attempted murder, extortion and terror financing. He is the leader of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and was designated an individual terrorist by India in 2023.
India's previous attempts to extradite Dalla
A Red Corner Notice was issued against him in May 2022, and India sought his provisional arrest from Canada in July 2023, which was denied. However, after Dalla's recent arrest by Canadian authorities after a suspected shootout, Indian agencies are renewing their push for his extradition. "In view of the recent arrest, our agencies will be following up on an extradition request," said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
Dalla's court appearance and India's monitoring
Dalla is now in custody and his case is scheduled to be heard at the Ontario Court. He had recently appeared before the court through video conferencing and moved a bail application. He reportedly appeared calm during the proceedings, standing with folded hands and denying previous claims of being injured in the shootout incident. Indian authorities are keeping a close watch on the case.
Extradition request amidst India-Canada diplomatic tensions
The extradition request comes amid diplomatic tensions between India and Canada. The strain worsened after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. However, India has dismissed these claims as "absurd" and criticized Canada for allowing pro-Khalistani elements to operate freely on its soil.
