CBI arrests four men accused of 'tricking' TN and Kerala youths to fight in Russia-Ukraine war

CHENNAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) announced that they have arrested four men accused of duping Tamil Nadu and Kerala youths to go to Russia to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war frontlines. The processing of visas for the youths was facilitated in Chennai, the CBI said.

On Tuesday, the CBI arrested N Arun and Y Priyan alias Yesudas Jr, both residents of Trivandrum, Kerala. Two other accused - Nijil Joni Benson of Kanyakumari, a key member of the trafficking network, and Anthony Michael Elangovan of Mumbai - were arrested on April 24.

Bensam and Elangovan are in judicial custody, the CBI said.

The arrests come after the CBI's investigation against a major human trafficking network across the country targeting gullible youths under the false pretext of offering university places or lucrative jobs. Once they arrived in Russia, their passports would be seized and they would forced to join the armed forces on the frontlines in Ukraine after combat role training.

"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. Thereafter, 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," an official release from the central probe agency stated.

The CBI has registered human trafficking cases against private visa consultancy firms and the agents involved in trafficking.

The CBI said that Kanyakumari native Nijil Jobi Bensam was working in the Russian Defence Ministry on a contract basis as a translator and was one of the key members of the network operating in Russia for facilitating recruitment of Indian nationals into the Russian Army.

Meanwhile, Antony Michael was facilitating visa processing in Chennai for co-accused Faisal Baba, based in Dubai, and for others based in Russia, and booking air tickets for victims to go to Russia, the CBI stated.

"Arun and Yesudas Jr alias Priyan were the main recruiters of Indian nationals belonging to Kerala and Tamil Nadu for Russian Army. Investigation is continuing against other accused persons who are part of this international network of human traffickers," the release added.

The Ministry of External Affairs has repeatedly stated that it is actively pursuing with Moscow “an early discharge” of all citizens of India from the armed forces of Russia.

At least two Indians, working as support staff for the Russian military, have been killed in the war.

Ten such staff have been released and returned to India, the MEA has said.

Some reports say that 200 Indian nationals were recruited since last year to work as support staff with the Russian military.

(With inputs from online desk)