CBI to seek Interpol Notice against trafficking network members pushing Indians into Russia war zone

New Delhi: The CBI will seek Interpol Red Notice against three accused for their alleged involvement in the human trafficking network that pushed Indians into the Russia-Ukraine war zone in the garb of lucrative employment opportunities in Moscow, officials said Tuesday.

The central probe agency wants the custodial interrogation of alleged hawala operator Ramesh Kumar Palanisamy, Mohammad Moinuddin Chippa, both understood to be in Russia, and Faisal Abdul Mutalib Khan, believed to be in the UAE, to unravel the conspiracy, they said.

An Interpol Red Notice is a request to law enforcement agencies of 196 member countries to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action. The CBI seeks to extradite the three accused to face legal action and join the investigation.

The CBI had busted major human trafficking networks operating across the country in March which were allegedly pushing Indian youths to the Russia-Ukraine war front in the garb of providing them with lucrative foreign jobs.

The agency has booked 24x7 RAS Overseas Foundation, KG Marg, and its Director Suyash Mukut, O.S.D Bros Travels & Visa Services Pvt Ltd., Mumbai and its Director Rakesh Pandey, Adventure Visa Services Pvt Ltd., Chandigarh, Punjab and its Director Manjeet Singh, Baba Vlogs Overseas Recruitment Solutions Pvt Ltd., Dubai and its Director Faisal Abdul Mutalib Khan alias Baba in the FIR.

The modus operandi deciphered by the CBI shows that Dubai-based Faisal Abdul Mutalib Khan allegedly used his YouTube channel to lure Indians into jobs in the Russian army, as security guards, or as helpers, promising a better life, a fat salary, etc., without revealing the nature of the job.

The central probe agency, which has examined the number of victims in the last three months, learned that Khan gave the number of Mohammad Sufiyan and Pooja to interested aspirants to proceed.

The couple allegedly asked the aspirants to deposit money in the accounts of Baba Vlogs, Sufiyan, Moinuddin Chhipa and Sadiq Chhipa and submit their passports to Cosmo Travels Pvt. Ltd, which arranged tourist visas for them on the promise that it would be converted into a work visa.

These job seekers were asked to reach the Chennai Airport, where their passports were handed over to them. They were then given the contact numbers of Nijil Jobi Bensam and Ramesh Kumar Palanisamy, both based in Moscow. The duo received the candidates in Russia and kept them in a house there, according to the CBI findings.

These victims were "deceptively" made to sign contracts for the Russian Army and handed over to them to be sent to the Russia-Ukraine War zone, the CBI has found.

In Russia, Moinuddin also started extorting money from the victims for not sending them to the war zone.

The agency has found 35 instances of youth being taken over to Russia lured through social media channels like YouTube, etc., and also through their local contacts and agents for highly paid jobs in Russia, they said.

"They were being trained in combat roles and provided with Russian army uniforms and batches. After that, these Indian nationals are being deployed at front bases in the War Zone against their wishes and put their lives in grave danger", the CBI FIR said.