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Two Russia-based agents who are allegedly involved in the human trafficking network that sends Indian nationals into the Ukraine war zone are under the scanner of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), PTI reported on Friday, citing officials.
The agents – Christina and Moinuddin Chippa – are based in Russia and were facilitating the trafficking of Indian youth to Russia by offering them lucrative job opportunities there, they alleged. Chippa is a resident of Rajasthan.
They allegedly confiscated the passports of Indians arriving in Russia and forced them to fight with the armed forces, the officials added.
On Thursday, the CBI busted a major human trafficking network, running across the country, targeting young people with promises of lucrative jobs abroad, including in Russia and Ukraine, and then allegedly sending them off to fight on the front lines of the war between those countries.
The agency conducted searches at 13 locations in Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Ambala, Chandigarh, Madurai and Chennai. It identified at least 35 instances of victims sent abroad by the alleged traffickers.
“These traffickers have been operating as an organised network and were luring Indian nationals through social media channels like YouTube etc, and also through their local contacts or agents for highly paid jobs in Russia,” a CBI spokesperson said. “Thereafter, 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.”
At least two Indian nationals are known to have been killed while serving with the Russian army.
Earlier this week, the Indian embassy in Moscow confirmed the death of Indian national Mohammed Asfan in a post on X on March 6.
The 30-year-old from Hyderabad travelled to Russia late last year and reports have said he was seriously injured along with two other Indians in hostilities in a conflict zone last month.
Prior to this, 23-year-old Hemal Ashwinbhai Mangukiya, a resident of Surat in Gujarat, was killed in a Ukrainian air strike while serving as a “security helper” with the Russian Army at Donetsk, a part of Ukraine occupied by Russia. Mangukiya travelled to Russia last December.
On Wednesday, the CBI registered a case against private visa consultancy firms, agents and others engaged in trafficking Indians to Russia under the guise of employment, the spokesperson said.
“So far around 35 instances of victims sent abroad have been established. The identity of more trafficking victims are also being established. Investigation is continuing.”
Four accused consultancies or agents were named: 24×7 RAS Overseas Foundation and its director Suyash Mukut; OSD Bros Travels and Visa Services Pvt Ltd. and its director Rakesh Pandey; Adventure Visa Services Pvt Ltd and its director Manjeet Singh; and Baba Vlogs Overseas Recruitment Solutions Pvt Ltd. and its director Faisal Abdul Mutalib Khan, also known as Baba.
Cash amounting to over ₹50 lakh, incriminating documents, electronics and CCTV footage were recovered during Thursday’s raids, the spokesperson said.
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