According to the Athwalines police, during night patrolling in the Nanpura area on Thursday evening, they intercepted a Mahindra Bolero (HR-ON-6815) at Kadar Shah Naal. When the driver and a youth in the vehicle failed to give satisfactory answers, the police arrested them.

The two were identified as Asgar Pathan (25), a resident of Alwar district in Rajasthan, and Najmuddin Saudagar (27), a resident of Satna district in Madhya Pradesh.

During interrogation, Pathan disclosed that he had stolen the vehicle from Delhi and had come to Surat with his friend Najmuddin to sell it.

He further revealed that he had stolen as many as eight cars and 60 motorcycles from the National Capital in the last one year.

The police said Asgar was arrested by the Rajasthan Police for his alleged involvement in cases of murder, extortion and attempt to murder. He was sent to the Kishangadh jail in Rajasthan.

In November 2007, when he was being taken to the court, he drugged the police and escaped.

A complaint in this connection was lodged with a police station in Kishangadh district.

Athwalines Inspector M P Patel said: “After escaping from police custody, Asgar went to Delhi and met his old friend Najmuddin. They stole two wheelers and cars from different areas in Delhi. After stealing the vehicles, they sold it to a person based at Azadnagar in Delhi.”

Patel added that the duo confessed to have stolen over 150 two-wheelers and cars from Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.