CBI Busts Human Trafficking Ring Sending Indians to Combat Zones in Russian Army
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has struck a significant blow to a human trafficking network involved in smuggling Indian nationals for combat roles in the Russian Army. On May 8, two individuals, Arun and Yesudas Junior, residents of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, were arrested, complementing the apprehensions made on April 24 of Nijil Jobi Bensam and Anthony Michael Elangovan.
Investigations have uncovered a disturbing trend where trafficked individuals were coerced into combat duties and sent to the Russia-Ukraine War Zone against their will, resulting in severe injuries. The CBI has initiated legal action against private Visa Consultancy Firms and agents implicated in facilitating illegal movements to Russia, with operations extending across multiple Indian states and beyond.
The principal figures in this operation include Nijil Jobi Bensam, responsible for recruiting Indian nationals, and Anthony Michael Elangovan, aiding accomplices in Dubai and Russia by processing visas and arranging travel. Arun and Yesudas Junior have been identified as primary recruiters operating from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, respectively.
The investigation into this transnational human trafficking network remains ongoing, with authorities actively pursuing other suspects involved in this heinous crime.
