CBI to seek Interpol opinion against members of trafficking ring pushing Indians into Russia’s war zone

CBI to seek Interpol Red Notice against three accused for their alleged involvement in the human trafficking ring that pushed Indians into the Russian-Ukrainian war zone under the guise of lucrative job opportunities in Moscow , officials announced Tuesday. The central probe agency wants questioning in custody of alleged hawala operator Ramesh Kumar Palanisamy, Mohammad Moinuddin Chippa, both suspected to be in Russia, and Faisal Abdul Mutalib Khan, suspected to be in the United Arab Emirates, to unravel the plot, they said.

An Interpol Red Notice is a request to law enforcement agencies in the 196 member countries to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action. The CBI is seeking to extradite the three accused for prosecution and joining the investigation.

In March, the CBI had busted major human trafficking rings operating across the country, which allegedly pushed Indian youth to the Russia-Ukraine war front under the pretext of providing them lucrative jobs at the foreigner.

The agency has booked 24×7 RAS Overseas Foundation, KG Marg and its Director Suyash Mukut, OSD 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 Faisal Abdul Mutalib Khan, based in Dubai, allegedly used his YouTube channel to lure Indians to jobs in the Russian army, as security guards or as assistants, with promises of a better life , a big salary, etc. , without revealing the nature of the work. The central investigating agency, which examined the number of victims in the last three months, has learned that Khan had given the number of Mohammad Sufiyan and Pooja to interested applicants for further action. 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 granted them tourist visas with the promise that they would be converted to work visas.

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 accommodated them in a house there, according to the CBI findings.

These victims were “deceptively” tricked into signing contracts for the Russian military and handed over to them to be sent to the Russian-Ukrainian war zone, the CBI found.

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

The agency found 35 cases of young people being taken to Russia lured through social media like YouTube, etc., as well as through their local contacts and agents for high-paying jobs in Russia, they said.

“They were trained for combat roles and given uniforms and packages by the Russian army. After this, these Indian nationals are deployed in front bases of the war zone against their will and put their lives in grave danger” , the CBI FIR said.