A 37-year-old criminal, wanted in a rape case, was arrested by the crime branch of Delhi Police, officials said on Sunday. Accused Javed alias Pawwa, a resident of Tagore Garden here, was on the run since January in connection with the rape case registered at Nabi Karim police station, they said. Nearly three dozen cases are registered against him across the national capital, police said.

According to the officials, acting on a specific input about Javed`s movement, a police team laid a trap near Jagatpur Pusta in the Wazirabad area. The accused, while getting out of a vehicle, was intercepted by the police team, a senior police officer said. "But Javed pulled out an illegal firearm and fired at the police, narrowly missing a head constable. The police team engaged the accused in a physical scuffle and managed to overpower him. The pistol along with five live and one empty cartridges was seized," he said.