Gujarat ATS nabs wanted criminal, seizes 2 country-made guns

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested a history-sheeter allegedly involved in over two dozen criminal cases, including extortion and loot, officials said on Monday.

Based on a specific tip-off, an ATS team raided a house in Bharuch city on Sunday and nabbed the accused, Azhar Shaikh (32), who originally hails from Juhapura in Ahmedabad, they said.

During preliminary questioning at the ATS headquarters here, Shaikh confessed to have looted Rs 1.5 crore from a person in the Santej area of Ahmedabad around eight months ago with the help of his accomplices, the anti-terror agency said in a release.

During a search of his residential premises in Juhapura, the ATS found two country-made guns and as many knives from the dicky of his scooter parked there, it said.

Shaikh has been active in the world of crime since 2013 and named as an accused in over 25 complaints lodged against him in different police stations of the state, including Ahmedabad, the release said.

He was mainly involved in crimes like extortion, loot, assault and criminal intimidation, it said.

The last complaint against him in Ahmedabad was lodged in April when he threatened to kidnap a city resident's son and demanded Rs 50 lakh from him in extortion money, the release said.

Of over 25 FIRs Shaikh was facing, he was shown as ''wanted'' in some of these cases, the ATS added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)