NEW DELHI: Two Russia-based agents involved in the human trafficking network that pushed Indians into the Ukraine war zone are under the CBI scanner, officials said on Friday.The agents allegedly confiscated the passports of Indians arriving in Russia and forced them to fight with the armed forces, officials said. The network was busted by the CBI on Thursday.Christina and Moinuddin Chippa, a resident of Rajasthan, are based in Russia and were facilitating the trafficking of Indian youth to Russia by offering them lucrative job opportunities there, officials said.The central probe agency’s FIR has listed 17 other Visa consultancy companies, their owners and agents spread across India, they said.The agency has booked them under Indian Penal Code sections related to criminal conspiracy, cheating and human trafficking.The CBI has alleged that the accused persons, through their agents, trafficked Indian nationals to Russia on the pretext of getting jobs related to the Russian Army, security guards, helpers, a better life, and education, and a huge amount was charged from these people illegally.The agents also duped students by providing them admission to dubious private universities in Russia instead of government or public universities by offering discounted fees and visa extensions, ultimately leaving them “at the mercy” of local agents.Once these aspirants reached Russia, their passports were seized by the agents there, and they were forced to join the armed forces after combat role training.”They were being trained in combat roles and provided with Russian Army uniforms and batches. Thereafter, these Indian nationals are being deployed at front bases in the Russia-Ukraine War Zone against their wishes, and put their lives in grave danger,” the CBI FIR said.
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