The Delhi Police on Monday claimed to have arrested an aide of underworld don Chhota Rajan after a brief gunfight.

The man identified as Dharmender Anand alias Punjabi was arrested from Paschim Vihar in northwest Delhi at around midnight Sunday.

A US-made pistol and three live cartridges were seized from him, the police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Deepender Pathak said Anand was active in extortion and kidnapping in Gujarat and Maharashtra. He had shifted to Switzerland last year, but returned soon to start an extortion racket in Delhi.

The Surat Police had also been looking for him and alerted the Delhi Police about his activities.

Anand was seen driving a white Maruti Zen late Sunday night when the police stopped him for questioning. He started firing at the police team, but was overpowered in few minutes, Pathak said.

The car has been seized.

"He and his sister Meena Singh were trying to start extortions and kidnappings in Delhi. They were making a group here. They were close to the Chhota Rajan gang and worked on his behalf in Gujarat and Maharashtra," said Pathak.

Anand's brother-in-law O P Singh, who brought him in the world of crime, was second in command of Rajan. He was killed in Nashik jail about a year ago.