Nagpur: In a late-night operation, Kotwali police arrested a habitual offender after recovering a country-made pistol and live cartridges from his luxury BMW car, which had crashed on Shukrawari Road.

The accused has been identified as Shubham Sunil Mahalle (30), a resident of Prem Nagar, Shriram Wadi, Ganeshpeth. Mahalle is a known criminal with past records, and was earlier booked by Tehsil Police for illegal possession of arms.

According to police, Mahalle had recently purchased a second-hand BMW from Mumbai and drove it back to Nagpur on Thursday afternoon. Around 12.15 am, while allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, his car rammed into a road divider and sustained heavy damage.

Kotwali police rushed to the spot and detained Mahalle. During a search of the BMW, officers seized a country-made pistol and live cartridges hidden inside the vehicle.

A fresh case has been registered against him under relevant sections of the Arms Act, and investigations are underway to trace the source of the weapon.

Police officials confirmed that Mahalle has a history of criminal activity and is being closely monitored.