CBI arrests 4 recruiters for trafficking Indians to fight for Russian army

On March 3, CBI had filed a case in connection with the human trafficking racket, alleging that a network running across the country was targeting youngsters by luring them with a promise of lucrative jobs abroad

Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested four persons in connection with their alleged involvement in the human trafficking of Indian nationals who were sent to fight in the Russian army amidst the Russia-Ukraine war, agency officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday.

(Representative Photo)

On Tuesday, the agency arrested two alleged recruiters, Arun and Yesudas Junior (also known as Priyan), from Trivandrum in Kerala.

The other two alleged recruiters, Anthony Michael Elangovan and Nijli Jobi Bensam were arrested on April 24 from Mumbai and Tamil Nadu, respectively, said officials mentioned above.

Elangovan was allegedly facilitating a co-accused, Faisal Baba, who is based in Dubai, UAE, and others based in Russia, in getting visa processing done in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and booking air tickets for the victims to reach Russia, CBI officials said.

One of the arrested accused, Bensam was allegedly working in Russia on a contract basis as a translator and was one of the core members of the network operating in Russia, facilitating the recruitment of Indian nationals into the Russian army, according to officials. Elangovan and Bensam are currently in judicial custody.

Arun and Priyan were allegedly the main recruiters of Indian nationals belonging to Kerala and Tamil Nadu for combat roles with the Russian army.

Several Indians in the last few months claimed they were forced to join the Russian army with the promise of fake jobs. On March 3, CBI had filed a case in connection with the human trafficking racket, alleging that a network running across the country was targeting youngsters by luring them with a promise of lucrative jobs abroad.

In its countrywide search launched in March to arrest the alleged recruiters, the agency busted a major human trafficking network that was sending Indians to Russia after two Indians died on the war front. According to the agency, 35 such cases were found and several were detained for questioning, additionally, over Rs.50 lakh, incriminating documents, electronic records like laptops, mobiles, desktops etc., were seized.

Cases were also registered against various visa consultancy firms and agents for sending young Indians to Russia in the name of lucrative jobs.

According to the officials, these traffickers were allegedly operating as an organised network, luring Indian nationals through social media channels, including YouTube channels, and via their local contacts and agents for so-called highly paid jobs in Russia.

The trafficked Indian nationals were then reportedly put through training in combat roles and deployed at front bases in the Russia-Ukraine War Zone in Europe against their wishes, thereby putting their lives in peril, agency sources said.