The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested four accused in a case related to the trafficking of Indian nationals for combat roles in the Russian Army. The CBI said that it has busted a major human trafficking network running across the country targeting gullible youths on the pretext of lucrative jobs abroad. In the case, the CBI arrested the two accused, who are residents of Kerala, and two other accused, who are residents of Mumbai.

The agency said these traffickers have been operating as an organised network to lure Indian nationals through social media platforms and their local agents for highly paid jobs in Russia. As per the CBI, the trafficked Indian nationals were trained in combat roles and deployed at front bases in the Russia-Ukraine War Zone against their wishes. A case of human trafficking was registered against private visa consultancy firms and agents who were involved in the trafficking of Indian nationals to Russia.