Prayagraj (UP), Aug 8 (IANS)  The Special Task Force (Prayagraj unit) has arrested a wanted criminal, identified as Mohd Javed a.k.a. Pappu Ganzia, a resident of Jahangirabad, Naini from Ajmer in Rajasthan.

STF officials said that the arrested criminal was an active member of 227 inter-state Atiq Ahmed gang and was carrying Rs 50,000 cash reward on his head.

Deputy SP (STF) Navendu Kumar told reporters that Pappu Ganzia has a vast criminal sketch and a total of 41 criminal cases, including loot and murder, were registered against him in different police stations of the state.

The DSP also claimed that Pappu was evading arrest since June 2022 as he was wanted by the Prayagraj police in an extortion case registered with the Naini police station under sections 386, 323, 504 and 506 of IPC.

The UP STF has also sought transit remand to bring the arrested criminal from Ajmer to Prayagraj.

Police said that Pappu was also an ex-corporator and Prayagraj police had increased the cash reward on his head from 25,000 to Rs 50,000 last week.