The Delhi high court on Monday directed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to take urgent and concrete measures to secure the repatriation of a 23-year-old Indian man, Sahil Mahmad Husen, who had travelled to Russia on a student visa but was allegedly compelled to join the ongoing armed conflict with Ukraine.
A bench of justice Sachin Datta issued the directions while dealing with a petition filed by the man’s mother, Hasinaben Samsudinbhai Majothi, from Gujarat’s Morbi, who said that her son was framed in a false case to extort money and has been duped into fighting for the Russian forces in the country’s war with Ukraine.
In her petition, argued by advocates Robin Raju and Deepa Joseph, the woman—a cancer patient and divorcee—stated that her son had called his uncle in April 2024 to report his arrest, but the call was abruptly disconnected, and the family has been unable to contact him since.
She further stated that since April last year, her brother has made several representations to the central government seeking her son’s repatriation to India, including writing to to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP Minority Cell’s national general secretary. However, she said, all such efforts have so far been in vain.
The Centre’s lawyer, Nidhi Raman, submitted that the man joined the Russian army voluntarily and surrendered to the Ukrainian authorities.
{{/usCountry}}The Centre’s lawyer, Nidhi Raman, submitted that the man joined the Russian army voluntarily and surrendered to the Ukrainian authorities.
{{/usCountry}}Considering the contention, the court, besides directing the ministry to take measures for repatriation, also asked it to depute a liaison officer with the authorities of the Ukrainian High Commission.
“Let the respondent (external affairs ministry) make serious and urgent efforts to ascertain the whereabouts of the petitioner’s son, ensure his well-being and take steps for the repatriation of the petitioner’s son. Let an attempt also be made to enable the petitioner to have contact with her son, and a liaison officer be deputed by the Ministry of External Affairs with the authorities of the Ukrainian High Commission. Let the petitioner be also apprised of the attempt and progress made,” the court said in the order.
The matter will be next heard on December 3.
The Ukrainian military in October had published a video featuring Hussein saying that an Indian man fighting alongside Russian forces had surrendered to Ukrainian troops on the frontline. There was no official word on the development from Indian officials. People familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity that the Indian embassy in Kyiv was ascertaining the veracity of the report.
The Indian side hadn’t received any formal communication from Ukrainian authorities on this matter, they said. Hussein said in the video that he was 22 years old and had gone to Russia to study. Speaking in Russian, he said that after he was sentenced to seven years in a Russian prison on drug-related charges, he was given the chance to sign a contract with the Russian military to avoid the punishment.