Arshdeep Dalla aide held for ‘making extortion calls’ to businessmen

Peeta was first arrested by the National Investigation Agency and has now been arrested by the Special Cell. Investigation found that Peeta and his associate Mandeep Singh had gone to Manila, the Philippines and were collecting funds for the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), a banned terrorist organisation.

A special court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against them for their alleged involvement in terror acts, extortion and funding terrorist organisations in India.

Sources said Peeta was mainly working as a “recruiter” for Dalla as he was luring men from around Punjab to join the KTF.

“He was also part of the extortion ring led by Dalla. They would make random calls to businessmen and demand money in the name of Dalla. Peeta threatened people that he would get them killed unless they gave protection money. He would send the recruits in India to threaten their targets and fire outside their house,” said an officer.

Peeta has already been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for his alleged involvement with the KTF.

The Delhi Police will now question him about Dalla and his arms smuggling and extortion activities around Delhi.

“We have found he was smuggling arms and drugs at the behest of Dalla. He was the main manager for Dalla and often initiated “Dabba Calls” to communicate with Dalla. In the Philippines, he was dealing in real estate while working with Dalla” said another officer.

Police explained that a dabba call is made via two phones to conceal the identity of the receiver (Dalla). For this, the person first calls the receiver from one phone but then immediately takes another phone and calls a random number. The second phone’s speaker is then connected to the first phone via Bluetooth or other means and the receiver can talk to his associate via the second phone. Police said such conversations can’t be tapped into.

Last month, police had arrested two men who allegedly worked for Dalla and killed Congress leader Baljinder Singh Balli at his home in Punjab’s Moga. Balli was shot dead on September 18th. The Delhi Police said they recovered footage of two bike-borne men near the spot and identified them. They were arrested after they came to Delhi on October 11th.