“Arsh Dalla is a proclaimed offender in over 50 cases, including murder, attempted murder, extortion, and terrorist activities such as terror financing,” said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. In May 2022, a Red Corner Notice was issued against Dalla, and he was designated an individual terrorist by India in 2023. In July of the same year, India formally requested the Canadian government for his provisional arrest.
Reports suggest Dalla had close ties with Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a leading figure in the Khalistani movement, who was assassinated in June 2023. Prior to assuming leadership of the Khalistani Tiger Force (KTF) after Nijjar’s death, Dalla had been involved in local gangster activities in Punjab. A native of Dala village in Punjab, Dalla moved to Canada in 2020, where he lived with his wife and young daughter. His passport was reportedly issued through fraudulent means by a Punjab Police assistant sub-inspector (ASI).
Dalla’s criminal activity extended beyond local crime. He is implicated in several high-profile crimes, particularly the targeting of political figures like Balli and Manohar Lal, a member of Dera Sacha Sauda. He is also accused of using social media to recruit young individuals from Punjab and Haryana to join his terror activities.
