CBI arrests four in trafficking of Indians for Russian Army

New Delhi, May 10

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested two accused persons from Kerala in connection with the trafficking of Indians for Russian Army. 

The accused have been identified as Arun  and Yesudas Junior, both resident of Trivandrum in Kerala and other accused were identified as Nijil Jobi Bensam from Kanyakumari and Anthony Michael Elangovan from Mumbai. 

The officials informed that Arun and Yesudas Juniorwere the main recruiters of Indian nationals belonging to Kerala and Tamil Nadu for Russian Army.

The officials stated that the CBI had busted a major human trafficking network running across the country targeting gullible youths on the promise of offering lucrative jobs abroad. These traffickers have been operating as an organized network and were luring Indian nationals through social media channels like Youtube etc. and also through their local contacts/agents for highly paid jobs in Russia. 

The trafficked Indian Nationals were trained in combat roles and deployed at front bases in Russia - Ukraine War Zone against their wishes, thus,putting their lives in grave danger. It has been ascertained that some of the victims also got grievously injured in the war zone. A case of human trafficking was registered against private Visa Consultancy Firms and agents who were involved in trafficking of Indian Nationals to Russia under the guise of better employment and high paying jobs. The human trafficking network of these agents is spread over several States across the country and beyond.

Accused Nijil Jobi Bensam was working in Russia  on contract basis as Translator and was one of the key member of the network operating in Russia for facilitating recruitment of Indian nationals in Russian Army. Accused Michael Anthony was facilitating his co accused Faisal Baba based in Dubai and others based in Russia in getting the Visa processing done in Chennai and booking the air tickets for victims to go to Russia.