CBI arrests four, including Russian defence ministry employee, for pushing Indians into Ukraine war

India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested four people, including a contractual translator in the Russian Defence Ministry, for allegedly trafficking Indians into the Russia-Ukraine war zone, officials said late on Tuesday (May 7). 

The top probe agency arrested two recruiters, Arun and Yesudas Junior alias Priyan, from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala on Tuesday, while two other accused, Nijil Jobi Bensam, a contractual employee in the Russian Defence Ministry, and Anthony Michael Elangovan, a resident of Mumbai, were arrested on April 24.

Bensam and Elangovan are in judicial custody, the CBI said in a late-night statement.

"Accused 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 in Russian Army," an official in the know of development was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India. 

More arrests could also be made in the case, PTI reported. 

Earlier, the CBI had busted a major racket of travel agents who were luring Indian youngsters with purported opportunities in Russia. Instead, they were pushed into the war zone between Russia and Ukraine after confiscating their passports.

The CBI's FIR has listed 17 visa consultancy companies with their owners and agents spread across India for the way many Indians were pushed into the war zone. The top probe agency has booked them under the Indian Penal Code sections related to criminal conspiracy, cheating, and human trafficking.

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The CBI has alleged that the accused through their agents trafficked Indian nationals to Russia on the pretext of getting them jobs related to the Russian army, security guards and helpers, and they were charged a huge amount.

The agents are also accused of duping students by facilitating their admissions to dubious private universities in Russia, instead of government or public universities, by offering discounted fees, and visa extensions.

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The students were ultimately left "at the mercy" of the local agents, it said.

The CBI has found 35 instances where youngsters were taken to Russia after being lured with false promises.

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"The trafficked Indian nationals were trained in combat roles and deployed at front bases in the 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 spokesperson said, according to Press Trust of India. 

(With inputs from agencies)