Natinal Desk, 8th May: 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, adding to the apprehensions made on April 24 of Nijil Jobi Bensam and Anthony Michael Elangovan.
Investigations unveiled a troubling pattern where trafficked individuals were coerced into combat duties and dispatched to the Russia-Ukraine War Zone against their will, resulting in severe injuries. The CBI has initiated a case against private Visa Consultancy Firms and agents involved in facilitating illegal movements to Russia, spanning multiple Indian states and beyond.
Central figures in the 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 were identified as primary recruiters from Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The investigation into this transnational human trafficking network remains ongoing, with authorities actively pursuing other suspects.