New Delhi, Jun 18 (IANS): The Delhi Police's Special Cell on Thursday said that it has arrested interstate gun running racket kingpin Takadir, who carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, from Madhya Pradesh.

DCP, Special Cell, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said that Takadir, who faced two cases under the Arms Act, was arrested from Madhya Pradesh after a brief scuffle on June 15, and a pistol and four live cartridges recovered from his possession.

He said that on June 18, 2019, Pawan and Chandan, both residents of Madhya Pradesh's Dhar, were arrested on a tip off, and 30 illegal pistols were recovered from them.

"During interrogation, both accused persons disclosed that they used to supply illegal weapons to various persons after procuring it from Takadir," he said, adding that a case was filed.

Yadav said that on June 16 last year on a tip off, Naresh Singh and Mahender Kumar, residents of Uttar Pradesh's Shikohabad, were arrested from near Delhi where they had come to supply a huge consignment of illegal weapons, comprising 25 improvised semi-automatic pistols and 50 live cartridges, to their contact.

"During interrogation, they disclosed that they are part of larger illegal arms supply syndicate and disclosed that they used to supply illegal weapons and cartridges to various persons after procuring it from Takdir," he said.

A separate case was registered.

The DCP said that during the investigation of two cases, many efforts were made to arrest Takadir but he dodged the police each time.

Subsequently the Delhi Police Commissioner declared a reward of Rs 1 lakh for his arrest.

A dedicated team of Special Cell was then constituted, technical as well as manual surveillance mounted to develop information, and teams were sent to several places at Madhya Pradesh including Dhar, Burhanpur, and Badwani areas to track the movement of members of the arms-running syndicates.

After technical surveillance and deployment of informers, a team departed for Dhar and on June 15, secret information was received that Takadir would come near his village to meet his contact.

"A trap was laid around his village. Takadir arrived, but somehow, he had spotted the police party and tried to run away. He was chased and arrested. Even after apprehension, Takadir, in his effort to escape, created ruckus and scuffled with the police but the team foiled his attempts and he was finally apprehended," the DCP said.

Subjected to sustained interrogation, Takadir disclosed that he has been indulging in the ancestral illegal trade of manufacturing and supplying of firearms for more than 15 years, he added.

His father also used to prepare illegal arms in his village.

Presently, his family members have been indulging in manufacturing of illegal arms in his village and supplying the same in various parts of country including Delhi for the years. Takadir disclosed that he used to send consignments of illegal arms to Delhi, UP, Haryana, MP etc. through his carriers, the DCP said.

During interrogation, he divulged in details about preparing illegal fire arms from a lathe he ran in his village, and used iron scrap and other material to prepare .32 bore semi-automatic pistols, he added.

Takadir prepared magazine out of the rods from bicycle frames. He used to sell these pistols for Rs 25,000 and most of the firearms supplied by him would eventually go in the hands of dreaded criminals of Delhi and adjoining states, Yadav said.