Man involved in 1k vehicle thefts held in Manipur

New Delhi: Delhi Police has arrested Juma Khan, a key player in an auto-theft racket, from Thoubal in Manipur. He is an associate of D-Company operative and ISI-linked figure Sharik Sata, who is also a wanted fugitive in the Sambhal riots case.According to investigators, Khan allegedly disposed of stolen vehicles across the north-east, with many ending up in remote parts of Manipur or being supplied to cross-border areas. Police believe he is linked to over 1,000 vehicle thefts. The breakthrough came during investigations into multiple auto-theft and mobile theft cases in the city, investigators said. Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Sanjeev Yadav said the probe began after Raj Babu, alias Akib, was arrested near Sarai Kale Khan bus terminal on June 6, 2024. An SUV stolen from Nangloi was recovered from him. "During interrogation, Akib revealed that he met Sata and his nephew, Aamir, in 2021 and started supplying stolen vehicles to them. Acting on their directions, he later began stealing and transporting vehicles across the country," Yadav said. Police said the gang ran an organised racket involving theft, transportation and disposal of vehicles. A case under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) was invoked. Further inquiry revealed Khan as one of the masterminds, who was arrested from Manipur by a team led by inspector Arun Sidhu. Investigators said that Khan was earlier arrested in a motorcycle theft case and spent time in Tihar Jail, where he met a co-inmate, Arkan. After his release, Khan travelled to Sambhal to meet Arkan and was introduced to Sata and Aamir. Khan then began receiving stolen vehicles on their behalf and disposing of them in the north-east. Police said he handled vehicles stolen by auto-lifters operating in Delhi, Meerut, Sambhal and Moradabad. Many were used in remote areas of Manipur or supplied to cross-border locations. In another case, Taj Mohammad, alias Taju, a key member of the syndicate and Khan's associate , was arrested on Aug 18, 2024. Follow-up raids led to the arrest of several associates and recovery of stolen vehicles from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and UP. Investigators said Delhi-NCR has emerged as the country's biggest hub for vehicle theft, accounting for over 56% of cases nationwide. In Delhi alone, a vehicle is stolen every 14 minutes, with theft-related offences making up nearly 20% of all crimes reported in the city. The region remains a hotspot due to the large number of vehicles—especially luxury cars—parked on roadsides because of inadequate parking. Criminals use advanced tools like computer-based scanners and key-programming gadgets to generate duplicate keys. Police added that auto-lifters are often arrested only after committing 20–25 thefts. Even when caught, they frequently secure release by settling cases, as offences under Section 317(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) are compoundable. This loophole allows offenders to return to crime.