Sonu Punjaban, infamous for ruling Delhi’s flesh trade, has claimed she was shot at by unidentified persons in east Delhi’s Geeta Colony in the early hours on Wednesday, said police.

Punjaban, 37, is out on bail for 10 days after she was arrested in 2017 for allegedly forcing a minor into prostitution. She was not injured in the alleged attack.

While police have registered a case at Shakarpur police station, investigators said that they were also probing the authenticity of her allegations because of “inconsistencies in her statements”.

“A case of attempt to commit culpable homicide, criminal intimidation and under the arms act has been registered against unidentified people. Investigations are focussing on all possible angles,” read a statement released by the Delhi Police.

The alleged attack happened around 2.30 am when she was returning to her house in south Delhi’s Sant Nagar after dropping off her son and brother at the latter’s house in east Delhi’s Shakarpur. Punjaban was driving the car and was alone.

“Three car-borne men intercepted her Honda City near Pushta in Geeta Colony and fired three rounds at her. They also threatened her before leaving. She then dialled the police control room,” the police statement quoted Punjaban as alleging.

An investigator said that Punjaban’s white Honda City has three bullet holes. Two of the bullets were found to have hit the driver’s seat while the third had hit the rear seat.

“We are investigating. She is repeatedly changing her statements,” said the investigator.

Punjaban has been arrested many times in the past for a host of alleged crimes such as trafficking and forcing women and children into prostitution.

She was also booked in 2011 under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) but was acquitted by a Delhi court in 2014.

She was last arrested in December 2017 for allegedly drugging, torturing and selling a minor girl into prostitution years ago.

She was released on bail a week ago to attend to her ailing mother and was to return to jail in three days, said a senior police officer.

First Published: Jan 24, 2019 09:32 IST