New Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS): Ahead of Republic Day, Delhi Police's Special Cell has arrested a key member of an interstate illegal arms supply racket and also confiscated 35 pistols along with 60 live cartridges from his possession.

The accused was identified as Ashish Kumar Pandey (24), a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad.

Police said that acting on a tip-off the accused was arrested from Pitampura area on Thursday.

"During a search of his car, which was earlier stolen from the Pandav Nagar area, 35 illegal semi-automatic pistols and 60 live bullets hidden in a secret cavity in the vehicle were recovered.

"We have also confiscated a mobile handset along with a SIM card, used in illegal arms supply activities, from him.

"Four pistols were recovered from the secret cavity of each door of the car and 19 pistols from under the stepney. A case was registered at PS Special Cell, Delhi," said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, DCP, Special Cell.

During interrogation, Ashish disclosed that he was a part of an illegal arms supply syndicate and used to supply the weapons and cartridges to various persons after getting them from Prahalad, a resident of Badwani in Madhya Pradesh.

Ashish, who confessed to being in this illegal trade for more than two years, said that he provided the illegal pistols to criminals in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

He admitted to having made the secret cavities in the car's doors to dodge the law enforcement agencies.

He disclosed that it costs hardly Rs 7,500 to manufacture a pistol and Rs 15,000 to supply one. Pistols supplied by him in Delhi were eventually sold for Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000 per pistol, in the adjoining areas.