Face2News/New Delhi

CBI, on 07.05.2024, has arrested two accused persons namely Arun S/o Norbert and Yesudas Junior@ Priyan S/o Yesudas, both resident of Trivandrum, Kerala in case FIR No. RC 05(S)/2024/CBI/SC-1/New Delhi dated 06.03.2024 under sections 370, 420 and 120-B of IPC. On 24.04.2024, two other accused persons namely Nijil Jobi Bensam S/o Jobi Bensam R/o Kanyakumari and Anthony Michael Elangovan R/o Mumbai were arrested in this case and sent to Judicial Custody.

On 06.03.2024, 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.

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. 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. Accused Arun and Yesudas Junior @ 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.