Arsh Dalla fled to Canada in 2018
An associate of jailed MP Amritpal Singh, Canada-based gangster-cum-terrorist Arshdeep Singh Gill, alias Arsh Dalla, is among the six most-wanted Punjab gangsters allegedly operating from Canada for the past five years or more. He is a permanent resident of Canada, as per the Punjab Police. He is living in Canada with his wife and a minor daughter.
On Saturday, the police arrested two shooters associated with Arsh Dalla for the murder of Gurpreet Singh Hari Nau in Faridkot on October 9.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said Dalla had got Gurpreet, a treasurer of Waris Punjab De organisation, killed at the behest of Amritpal Singh. Gurpreet had turned against Amritpal for his anti-India stance. The DGP said Dalla was in touch with Amritpal Singh, who is lodged in Dibrugarh Jail, Assam, under the National Security Act.
The Indian police consider Dalla a suspect in the murder of Kanishka bombing accused Ripudaman Singh Malik, who was killed in Surrey, Canada, in July 2022. Belonging to Dala village, he was involved in gang wars, murders and extortion before he fled Punjab in 2018. He is linked with the Khalistan Tiger Force and the All India Sikh Students’ Federation.
Among the main crimes, he ordered the murder of Sunshine garments shop owner Tejinder Singh Pinka in Moga in 2020 besides killing of Dera Sacha Sauda follower Manohar Lal in September 2023.
He is an expert in radicalisation of youth in association and was a close associate of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was murdered in Canada in June 2023.
According to the Punjab Police, Dalla has links with Khalistani groups and he funds gangsters and terror operatives in Punjab.
The Moga and Faridkot police have been pursuing his extradition since 2021. In August 2017, Arshdeep Singh Gill (Arsh Dalla) applied for a passport. At that time, three criminal cases, including murder were already registered against him. However, he concealed this information in his passport application.
Head Constable Kuldeep Singh from Ajitwal, Moga, connived with Arsh Dalla and did not report his criminal history in the police verification report and police clearance certificate. Consequently, despite his criminal history, Arsh Dalla was able to obtain a passport. He used this passport to enter Canada on October 22, 2018, on a visitor’s visa.
Role in gang wars, murders
- Arsh Dalla was involved in gang wars, murders and extortion before he fled Punjab in 2018
- He is linked to the Khalistan Tiger Force and All India Sikh Students’ Federation
- He ordered the murder of a garments shop owner in Moga in 2020
- The gangster also ordered the killing of Dera Sacha Sauda follower Manohar Lal in 2023