CBI Busts Trafficking Ring Sending Indians to Russia-Ukraine War Zone; 4 Arrested

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 8th May. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has made major headway in dismantling a human trafficking network responsible for luring Indian nationals to the Russia-Ukraine war zone. Four individuals, including a contractual translator in the Russian Defence Ministry, have been apprehended in connection with the operation.

Arun and Yesudas Junior, residents of Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, were arrested on Monday, while Nijil Jobi Bensam and Anthony Michael Elangovan, hailing from Kerala and Mumbai respectively, were detained earlier and are currently in judicial custody.

Operating as an organized network, the traffickers utilized social media platforms like YouTube and local agents to entice Indian nationals with promises of lucrative jobs in Russia. However, these individuals were unwittingly trained for combat roles and deployed to front bases in the Russia-Ukraine conflict zone against their will.

Nijil Jobi Bensam played a pivotal role in facilitating the recruitment process within Russia, while Anthony Michael Elangovan coordinated visa processing and travel arrangements from Chennai. Arun and Yesudas were identified as the primary recruiters, targeting individuals from Kerala and Tamil Nadu for enlistment in the Russian Army.

The CBI has registered a case against private visa consultancy firms and agents involved in the trafficking network, which spans across multiple states and international borders.

Investigations reveal that the network exploited Indian nationals’ aspirations for overseas employment by misleading them through YouTube videos, falsely portraying job opportunities in the Russian Army. Victims were coerced into military training under false pretenses, with misleading translations of documents compelling them to join the armed forces.

Furthermore, a Delhi-based visa consultancy company is implicated in facilitating the trafficking of approximately 180 Indian nationals to Russia. Efforts are underway to assist these individuals in returning home safely, with central agencies actively engaged in the process.