The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) announced on Tuesday that it has apprehended 4 individuals, including a contractual translator employed by the Russian Defence Ministry, for their involvement in trafficking Indian nationals to the Russia-Ukraine war zone.
According to the CBI, Arun and Yesudas Junior, residents of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, were arrested on Monday, while Nijil Jobi Bensam, a contractual employee in the Russian Defence Ministry, and Anthony Michael Elangovan from Mumbai, were detained on April 24 and remanded to judicial custody.
The agency revealed that these traffickers operated as a well-organized network, enticing Indian nationals through platforms like YouTube and local contacts for purportedly high-paying positions in Russia. However, these individuals were subsequently trained for combat roles and deployed in front bases within the Russia-Ukraine war zone against their will, resulting in some sustaining severe injuries during the ongoing conflict initiated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Nijil Jobi Bensam played a pivotal role in the network’s operations in Russia, facilitating the recruitment of Indian nationals into the Russian Army. Meanwhile, Anthony coordinated with his co-accused Faisal Baba in Dubai and other associates in Russia to handle visa processing in Chennai and arrange air travel for the victims to Russia.
Arun and Yesudas primarily served as recruiters, targeting Indian nationals from Kerala and Tamil Nadu for enlistment in the Russian Army.
The CBI has registered a case of human trafficking against private visa consultancy firms and agents involved in the network, which spans multiple states across India and beyond.
The modus operandi of the human trafficking network involved various private visa consultancy firms attracting Indians seeking overseas employment through YouTube videos, portraying favorable conditions in Russia and offering different job roles in the Russian Army. Victims were assured they would not be involved in frontline combat and were promised lucrative salaries during their training period. However, they were coerced into military training after being presented with misleading translations of documents, leading them to believe they faced imprisonment unless they joined the Russian army.
The investigation has revealed that a Delhi-based visa consultancy company dispatched approximately 180 Indian nationals to Russia. Central agencies are currently engaged in efforts to secure the release of these individuals.
