Patna: Police have arrested Mohammed Mushtaq Khan, the main accused in the theft of a ruby-fitted gold ring worth Rs 5 crore.

Mushtaq was absconding for the past 14 months and was arrested from Karai Parsurai area under Nalanda district.

The ruby has been recovered. According to Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj, the police arrested Mushtaq based on a tip-off. Maharaaj said: "The police were in search of Mushtaq for the past 14 months after the case came to light in March last year."

The police had already arrested Mohammed Moni, Mohammed Basir and Mohammed Ali who along with Mushtaq had executed the loot from the house of Baban Choubey at Nageshwar Colony on March 26 last year.

Mushtaq, along with three others, had barged into Choubey's residence looting the ring. The ring belongs to Choubey's neighbour Kulkant Singh. Kulkant had given the ring to Choubey as he wanted to sell it. As Choubey and Mushtaq both were in the real estate business, he contacted Mushtaq to sell the ring.

The police's first catch was Mohammed Ali, a driver from the Samanpura area. Ali's van was used in the loot. He confessed that Mushtaq had executed the plan. The police were in search of Mushtaq for the past 14 months but he was constantly changing his locations.