*Over 17 visa consultancy agencies on CBI radar
After conducting searches, the CBI has started busting multi-state networks including immigration and travel agents, allegedly involved in human trafficking of Indian youths keen to settle abroad assuring them attractive jobs. Information reveals that most of the youths were sent to Russia who were forced to join the army and sent to the war front between Russia and Ukraine. CBI teams have recovered Rs 50 lakh, incriminating documents and electronic records including laptops, mobiles, desktops and CCTV footage while conducting several raids. The Ministry of External Affairs information reveals that nearly 20-odd Indians are stranded in Russia. The CBI has registered an FIR against various visa consultancy firms and travel agents allegedly sending youths to the Russia-Ukraine war zone in the guise of lucrative jobs.
Information reveals, multiple teams of the CBI conducted searches at around 15 places in seven cities across the country including Delhi, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, Ambala, Chandigarh, Madurai, and Chennai. During searches, the CBI has recovered la arge number of incriminating documents and records. CBI spokesperson said that searches are still going on and certain suspects have also been detained for questioning at various locations. He disclosed that around 35 instances of victims sent abroad have been established. The identity of more trafficking victims are being established so far and the exact number of such youths will be available after completion of investigation of major human trafficking networks functioning across the country and targeting youths on the promise of offering lucrative jobs abroad. They allegedly used to confiscate the passports of such Indian youths arriving in Russia and forced them to fight with the armed forces after a brief training.
CBI spokesperson also disclosed the name of the few agents running travel and visa services in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Dubai. Two Russia based agents identified as Christina and Moinuddin Chippa originally a resident of Rajasthan in India have been found involved in human trafficking of Indian youths to Russia by offering them lucrative job opportunities and sending them into the Ukraine war zone are under the scanner of CBI. The agency conducted searches at 13 locations in Delhi alone, besides raided a few locations in different places.
A government spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in India has taken up this issue strongly with the government in Russia along with Russian Embassy in New Delhi as well as Indian Embassy in Moscow to relieve Indian youths out of the grip of the army in Russia and has succeeded in this regard. He said that the India government is going to take stern action against agents and anti-social elements involved in Human trafficking business, sending youths abroad with false assurances, pushing them on the war front between Russia and Ukraine, and has already exposed a few agents. Jaiswal warned Indian youths to beware of ing immigration agents and travel agencies involved in human trafficking. Information revealed that CBI has already registered FIRs against the owners of 17 visa consultancy companies spread across the country allegedly involved in human trafficking.
