Notorious human trafficker Sonu Punjaban convicted
A Delhi Court has convicted Geeta Arora alias Sonu Punjaban, notorious for running flesh trade in Delhi, and one other in a case of kidnapping and prostitution of a minor girl. The 12-year-old victim was kidnapped by Sandeep Bedwal on September 11, 2009 and was sold and re-sold to a score of people, including Sonu Punjaban, for the purpose of prostitution.
According to the prosecution, Sonu Punjaban used to administer drugs into the body of the victim to make it "more suitable for prostitution" and used to charge Rs 1,500 from the customers.
Five years after the case was registered, the victim came to the police station to record her statement, in which she claimed that she was kidnapped by convict Bedwal after he confessed his love to her.
The victim divulged that Bedwal took her to the house of one Seema Aunty on the pretext of marriage and raped her. From there, the chain of selling and re-selling her for flesh trade began.
The minor girl was then sold four times by different people and eventually ended up with Sonu Punjaban, who after using her for prostitution, sold her to three men. Following this, one of the men named Satpal married her.
"On February 7, 2014, the victim left the house of Satpal and on February 9 came to Police Station Najafgarh and on her statement an FIR was registered," the court said. Sonu Punjaban was then arrested in December 2017 and the charge sheet was filed in March 2018.
Additional Session Judge Pritam Singh of Dwarka Court noted that the prosecution has proved the charges against the two accused -- Sonu Punjaban and Sandeep Bedwal beyond reasonable doubt.
Sonu Punjaban has been convicted for commission of offences such as procuration of minor, slavery, selling and buying minors for prostitution, poisoning, wrongful confinement and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code and sections of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
Whereas, Sandeep Bedwal has been convicted for kidnapping, procuration of minor, slavery, selling minors for prostitution, rape and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code.
The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment on July 22.
