India will request the extradition of Arsh Dalla (27), a designated terrorist arrested in Canada on November 10, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Thursday. 

Indian authorities had asked Canada for his provisional arrest in July 2023, but the request was denied. However, the MEA expressed confidence that Dalla would now be extradited or deported to face justice in India.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed the media on Thursday, acknowledging reports on Dalla’s arrest, noting that Canadian media outlets had widely covered the story. The Ontario Court has scheduled a hearing for his case.

Dalla, a key figure in the Khalistan Tiger Force, is wanted for over 50 serious offenses, including murder, attempted murder, extortion, and terrorist activities, including terror financing. He was issued a Red Corner Notice in May 2022, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) designated him a terrorist in 2023. Despite India’s request for his provisional arrest in 2023 being denied, the government continued efforts through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to track his activities. These efforts included seeking information on his residence, financial transactions, properties, and other details, which Canadian authorities received in January 2023. The Canadian Department of Justice later requested further information in December 2023, with a response sent in March 2024.

With Dalla’s recent arrest, Indian agencies are pursuing his extradition. “Given his criminal record and his involvement in illegal activities in both India and Canada, it is expected he will be extradited or deported to face justice in India,” said Jaiswal.

Dalla’s arrest followed a shooting incident in Milton, Canada, in October 2024. Originally a small-time gangster from Moga, Punjab, he fled to Canada in 2018, where he allied with Khalistan Tiger Force leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Canadian reports have linked Dalla to a network of terror funding and illegal activities, including extortion and targeted killings of business figures in Punjab. He is also involved in a criminal rivalry with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which has escalated tensions within Canada’s Indian-origin business community. 

The NIA chargesheet, filed in July 2023, reveals that Dalla used his connections in Punjab to establish a terrorist gang. He and Nijjar reportedly raised funds through extortion and targeted killings. Further investigations show that Dalla, along with his wife, transferred large sums of money to individuals involved in extortion and weapons smuggling activities, further fueling the terror network.