Patna: Maoist leader Sudhir Bhagat, who was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head, was arrested from Noida in the national capital region on Monday night.

Police said that Sudhir, who was involved in at least 14 murders in Bihar and Jharkhand, was arrested from his hideout at Harola village near Noida. Police sources said that Sudhir was studying in a private engineering college.

The arrest of Sudhir came on the heels of the arrest of a self-proclaimed sub-zonal commander of Maoists, Anil Ram, from Muzaffarpur last week.

Three of Anil's other associates - Kamlesh Bhagat, Dilip Ram and Sunil Ram -were arrested later.

A senior Bihar police officer said that Sudhir would be taken on remand for interrogation.

"Legal formalities are being completed for the purpose," the officer said, adding that a team would be sent to Noida soon.

Anil, police sources said, has divulged vital clues on Maoist activities and spelt out 22 names of rebel "thinkers" active in north Bihar to spread the organisational network.

A police team carried out a raid at Kamlesh Bhagat's house in Baroraj village and recovered a carbine, a rifle, three country-made rifles, arms and ammunition.

The police also carried a raid at a rented house of Anil in Bhagwanpur locality and recovered one carbine, five detonators and six cartridges.

The police seized Rs 8.9 lakh in denomination of Rs 500 notes, receipt of levy collection, seven mobiles and rebel literature.

The arrested Maoists, poilice sources said, have confessed to their involvement in extorting money bus operators and brick kiln owners.

All the arrested rebels have been sent to the terrorist cell at Khudiram Bose Memorial Central Jail. The Central Reserve Police Force, sources said, has stepped up its operations in Naxalite-hit districts of the state. "The operations have started yielding tangible results," said an inspector-general rank officer of the CRPF.