Manpreet Singh, Close Aide of Khalistani Terrorist Arsh Dalla, Chargesheeted By NIA In Terror-Gangster Nexus Case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday (4 January) filed a chargesheet against Manpreet Singh alias Peeta, who is allegedly a close associate of Arshdeep Singh Gill, in the terror-gangster network case.

Gill, who goes by the alias Arsh Dalla, is based in Canada and is designated as an "individual terrorist" by India.

The agency has accused Peeta of functioning as a “crime-terror-extortion node” from the Philippines, under the directions of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) operative Arsh Dalla.

It is alleged that he was engaged in collecting weapons from the Indo-Pakistan border and making extortion calls to generate funds for Arsh Dalla and the organisation.

The Union government declared KTF a terrorist organisation and imposed a ban on it in February 2023.

“Peeta was also engaged in recruiting members for the terrorist gang to execute terror crimes and conspiracies. He was arrested last year following his deportation from the Philippines...this was the third chargesheet in the case, in which 21 accused have so far been chargesheeted,” the agency said, The Hindu reported.

In November 2023, the NIA filed the first supplementary charge sheet in the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) case, which involved the illegal smuggling of weapons and explosives from Pakistan.

The individuals charged included Amritpal Singh alias Ammy, and Amrik Singh, both of whom were extradited from the Philippines, as well as Jassa Singh and Gagandeep Singh.

The agency found that Arsh Dalla, purportedly in collusion with Peeta, had brainwashed and enlisted the four suspects into the terrorist organization, which had carried out targeted killings and firings at the residences of potential victims, to coerce them into complying with their extortion demands.

The money collected was being sent to various foreign countries via both banking and non-banking channels.

“These illicit financial transactions were aimed at fueling terrorist activities in India,” the agency had earlier said.