New Delhi: Delhi Police have arrested an associate of underworld don Chhota Rajan after a brief encounter and claimed to have foiled efforts of the Mumbai mafia to establish a kidnapping and extortion racket in the capital.

Dharmender Anand alias Punjabi (37), notorious for kidnapping and extortion in Western India, particularly Surat and Mumbai, was intercepted by Crime Branch personnel in Paschim Vihar area of West Delhi on June 29 night following an information, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Railways) Dependra Pathak said.

When signalled to stop, he fired one round at the police party but was overpowered, he said, adding a US-make automatic pistol and three live rounds were recovered from him.

He said Crime Branch had received a tip-off that Anand was in Delhi and making efforts to establish a base for kidnapping and extortion in the capital and around.

The information was developed and it was found that he would be visiting Paschim Vihar area to meet his friends or sister Meena Singh, wife of slain second-in-command of Chhota Rajan gang, Pathak said.

During preliminary interrogation, Anand allegedly told police that he was in Delhi to contact certain known persons in an effort to start kidnap and extortion business.

PTI