New Delhi, Aug 30 - A dreaded criminal involved in over 50 cases of murder and robbery was arrested here, Delhi Police said Sunday.

Shokat, 49, who carried a reward of Rs.50,000 on his capture, was held by police Saturday evening near Kalindi Kunj in south Delhi. Police seized a revolver and three live cartridges from him.

'Shokat is a proclaimed offender. He was first arrested in a robbery case in 1986. He was again arrested in 1990 and remained in jail for three years,' a police official said.

In 1995, he was held in a robbery case but escaped from custody two years later.

'In 2007, he contested assembly elections from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh but lost. After losing the elections, he returned to Delhi and formed a gang. Being the leader of the gang and he used to get his share from the members even without actively participating in their criminal activities,' he added.