Delhi Police have arrested Juma Khan, a key player in an organised auto-theft racket, from Thoubal, Manipur. Khan is reportedly an associate of D-Company operative and ISI-linked fugitive Sharik Sata, who remains wanted in the Sambhal riots case.
Investigators said Khan allegedly disposed of stolen vehicles across the north-east, with many ending up in remote Manipur or supplied to cross-border areas. He is believed to be linked to over 1,000 vehicle thefts.
The breakthrough came during investigations into multiple auto-theft and mobile theft cases in Delhi. 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, with an SUV stolen from Nangloi.
“During interrogation, Akib revealed that he met Sharik 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 nationwide,” Yadav said.
Police said the gang ran an organised racket involving theft, transportation, and disposal of vehicles, and invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Further inquiry identified Khan as one of the masterminds, and he was arrested from Manipur by a team led by Inspector Arun Sidhu.
Investigators added that Khan had previously been arrested in a motorcycle theft case and spent time in Tihar Jail, where he met co-inmate Arkan. After release, Khan travelled to Sambhal, met Arkan, and was introduced to Sata and Aamir. He then began handling stolen vehicles from auto-lifters operating in Delhi, Meerut, Sambhal, and Moradabad, transporting them to the north-east and cross-border locations.
Another syndicate member, Taj Mohammad, alias Taju, was arrested on August 18, 2024. Follow-up raids led to arrests of several associates and recovery of stolen vehicles from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.
Police highlighted that the Delhi-NCR region is the largest hub for vehicle theft in India, accounting for 56% of cases nationwide. In Delhi, a vehicle is stolen approximately every 14 minutes, and theft-related offences constitute 20% of reported crimes. High numbers of vehicles parked on roadsides, especially luxury cars, along with inadequate parking and advanced theft tools, make the region a hotspot.
Authorities warned that many auto-lifters are arrested only after 20–25 thefts, and offenders often return to crime due to legal loopholes allowing settlement under Section 317(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
