Sonu Punjaban is the real 'Bholi Punjaban' of Fukrey, who ran a super successful sex racket

Sonu Punjaban being arrested

The movie Fukrey Returns hit theatres on 8th of December 2017. In it Richa Chadha's character Bholi Punjaban was much appreciated by the audience. This character was based on the real life, Sonu Punjaban, who is a pimp.Sonu Punjaban's real name is Geeta Arora. The 36-year-old was last arrested on December 2017 and is booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act.

Why was Sonu  arrested?

A still from the movie Fukrey. Source YouTube.

Because a 16 year-old -girl who was trafficked, tortured, drugged, and forced into prostitution by Sonu Punjaban managed to escape and reached Najafgarh police station in 2014. She had been traced by police before. But believing that the police won't help her, the girl had fled. But finally, she agreed to help police after counseling. She finally agreed to help Delhi Crime Branch in 2017.

She said she was first trafficked in 2013. Then, she was tortured and was sold to more than 12 persons. She was taken to Lucknow, Rohtak and other places. She was forced into prostitution where she was kept starved too." Sonu had 'rescued' her from that.

Home service for clients

Chargesheet against Sonu Punjaban 1.Photo courtesy Kanhaiya Sharma.

The victim further told police that the gang used to provide home services for clients. For this purpose, a driver along with a guard used to take the girls to the destinations.Soon after she met her, Punjaban gave the girl a makeover. She also taught her basic English only to impress the clients. They used to drug her before sending her to the clients," the police said quoting the victim.

Sonu employed attractive, well-dressed, English-speaking women and set up brothels in flats that she either owned or rented. She appointed pimps who worked under her but were in charge of specific areas. Her phone book has more than 1,000 contacts: women are listed according to the prices they charge, pimps according to the area they serve. But though she owns flats and cars, nothing is registered in her name, a move that may save her from a lifetime in jail.

Business Makeover

Chargesheet against Sonu Punjaban 2.Photo courtesy Kanhaiya Sharma.

During questioning, Sonu and Sandeep revealed their new modus operandi. Sonu no longer sent girls to her clients nor housed them anywhere. She had turned into an aggregator wherein she sent "freelance call girls" to her clients, an officer said. She reportedly kept in touch with them only on phone and WhatsApp. She used WhatsApp's call feature more to interact with clients and girls

She fixed meetings between the girls and clients in pubs and restaurants around Nehru Place. Her commission was either collected through runners or mobile wallet and account transfers.

Sonu's list of arrests:

Representational image. A 16 year-old -girl who was trafficked, tortured, drugged, and forced into prostitution by Sonu Punjaban.

2007 : She was arrested under sections of the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act. While she got bail in the 2007 case, she was arrested for the same offence in 2008.

2011 : In April 2011, Delhi Police nabbed Sonu after they received a tip-off that she was again spotted indulging in prostitution. Police deployed two officers, who posed as customers and laid the trap. The officers then struck a deal with the tout, Raju Sharma, and Sonu for two girls.

2014 : Delhi court acquitted Sonu, who was accused of running an organised sex racket, and was charged under stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).Additional Sessions Judge Gulshan Kumar acquitted Sonu of the charges due to lack of evidence against her.

Sonu's love for 'bad' boys

Shiv Murti Dwivedi alias Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot Wale, also known as

Sonu fell in love many times- each time with a man more notorious than the previous one. Every man who came in her life died. Geeta changed tracks in life after she fell in love with gangster Vijay Singh, a close aide of gangster Shri Prakash Shukla. Singh was gunned down by UP's STF in Garh Mukteshwar in 2003 soon after they got married. Her next boyfriend, Deepak, was shot down as well in Assam.

Deepak's brother, Hemant Sonu got her a flat- a grabbed property - and began to visit her often. Soon, they got married. An accused in several cases of robbery, murder and extortion, Hemant got involved in a high profile double murder case trail in Haryana's Jhajjhar district that got cops on his trail.

In March 2006, Hemant and two of his associates, Jaswant and Jaiprakash, were killed by Special Cell on the Delhi-Gurgaon border.Hemant apparently had the biggest influence on her life so much so that she took up his name and became Sonu Punjaban. Geeta later got close to Ashok Bunty of the same gang, who was also killed in an encounter after a few months.

Getting rid of rivals and expansion of business

Representational image. Sonu employed attractive, well-dressed, English-speaking women and set up brothels in flats that she either owned or rented

Sources in Delhi Police said that she had a big role in the arrests of Icchadhari Baba and Nagma - her main rivals. Nagma used to operate from Mehrauli in Delhi and was arrested in 2011. Shiv Murti Dwivedi alias Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot Wale, also known as "Ichadaari Baba" among his followers was arrested in 2017.

Sonu's income

Representational image.Sonu's cut of a 'deal' used to be flat 30%, usually around Rs 25,000.

With completion/rivals out of the game, and dozens of pimps at her service, Punjaban allegedly began to supply girls to clients in Kolkata, Mumbai, Rajasthan and Punjab. She amassed property close to around Rs 100 crore. The rate charged by her ranged between Rs 5,000 and Rs 20,000 depending upon the girl's profile. School and college students, airhostesses and TV actresses were also supplied by her, police said.

From the change in her business style till her recent arrest,her cut of a 'deal' used to be flat 30%, usually around Rs 25,000, police said.

Sonu herself speaks English for business, but can quickly switch to Haryanvi dialect and give choicest Dilliwale gaalis when annoyed.

She is quite a colourful character, isn't she?