Russian war trafficking racket: CBI files FIR against 19 agents

Hours after registering a FIR against nearly two dozen people and their companies for trafficking unsuspecting Indians to the Russia-Ukraine war zone, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted multiple raids across India. One team visited Vasai on Thursday in search of a vlogger and two agents.

The vlogger Faisal Abdul Mutalib Khan alias Baba lives with his wife in Ventura Residency Complex in Vasai West.

Baba, who claims to be hiding in Dubai to avert a police crackdown, had hired local agents Sufiyan Dawood Daruger and his wife Pooja. The couple live in Sai Ashirvad Housing Society, which is near Baba's home.

Sai Ashirwad building, where Sufiyan and his wife Pooja live, in Vasai. Pics/Hanif Patel

Baba has been accused of running the alleged racket from Dubai where he makes YouTube videos to lure unemployed Indians seeking jobs in foreign land. He would also give the name and number of his local agents Sufiyan and his wife Pooja who would facilitate gullible Indians to complete their documents to go to foreign lands.

After the FIR was registered, Baba deleted content that he had uploaded on social media accounts.

"I have been working for the last eight years. To date, nearly 1,000 Indians got jobs in foreign countries because of me," Baba told mid-day.

Sufiyan Dawood Daruger, an agent who works for Baba

"I have been working to rescue all the Indians for the past two months, and I managed to rescue six people from the war zone. What has the Government of India been doing till now? What is the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) doing?" He wondered while talking to mid-day.

"I had been supplying manpower to big companies in Dubai. Based on my nature of work, I received a call from Russia where I was asked to work for them too. They wanted us to work for Russia where I supplied people to drive taxis driver and wait tables," he added.

"Later, they wanted manpower for the Russian army. This was shocking for me. When I asked them how could they hire people for their army, I was told that the manpower was required to help them at the backend," he added.

"All the transactions are white. I have all the relevant documents based on which the Indians were sent to Russia," he added.

"This is the first time a case has been registered against me. The MEA should work on this closely to safeguard Indians," he said.

Asked when he would come back to India, Baba said, "I am the only point of contact for the relatives of those stuck in the war zone. If I come to India, I will be arrested. In such a situation, who will the relatives contact? I will come back to India only when all the victims come back to India."

Accused's backyard

mid-day team visited the Sai Ashirvad building where Vasai residents said that the CBI had to wait for two hours as the female relatives of Sufiyan were not opening the gate, according to a resident.

"CBI officials, including women personnel, were in plain clothes. They had also apprised local officials from Vasai Gaon police station from where a team had also arrived here on Thursday," said a resident.

"Initially, the CBI team knocked on the door of Sufiyan's house but they did not open it. The team waited for nearly two hours on the premises. Finally, they opened the gate at 4 pm. The team questioned some women for six hours and walked out at 10 pm," said another resident.

Sources told mid-day that the central agency gathered incriminating documents and vital information related to the alleged racket.

Sources in the housing society where Sufiyan lived with his parents, siblings and wife, said that despite allegedly minting money by trafficking humans, they had not paid maintenance in the past three years. "Multiple reminders have been sent to Sufiyan's house, but bills have not been paid. They have been earning lakhs of rupees in the racket every month, but they can't pay R1,000 maintenance for the flat," said a neighbour.

"The above accused persons themselves and through their agents trafficked Indian nationals to Russia on the pretext of getting jobs related to the Russian army, security guards, helper, better life, job, education and huge amount was charged from these persons illegally. It has also been informed that these agents/human traffickers are duping Indian students/citizens for admission in dubious private universities in Russia instead of govt/ public known universities by offering them free discounted Visa extensions, fee structure etc and thereafter they are left at the mercy of visa agents and college authorities (sic)," reads the FIR registered by CBI.

"Further, it has been learnt that on reaching Russia, passports of these Indian nationals were taken/snatched by agents at Russia. They were being trained in combat roles and provided with Russian army uniform and batches. Thereafter, these Indian nationals are/were being deployed at front bases in Russia-Ukraine war zone against their wishes and put their lives in grave danger. It has been ascertained that some human trafficking victims were also got grievously injured in the war zone," reads the FIR.

"Above acts on the parts of accused persons prima facie disclose the commission of cognisable offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating and human trafficking for the purpose of exploitation punishable under the provision under Sections 120-B, 420 and 370 of the Indian Penal Code," it reads.

The five agents are Mohammed Moinuddin from Rajasthan, Ramesh Kumar from Tamil Nadu, Khushpirit from Chandigarh, Jobi Bensam Nijil from Tamil Nadu, and Santosh from Nepal.

Baba claimed to have received recruitment details from Moinuddin.

MEA statement

A statement issued by the MEA read, "Several Indian nationals have been duped to work with the Russian Army. We have strongly taken up the matter with the Russian government for the early discharge of such Indian nationals. Strong action has been initiated against agents and unscrupulous elements who recruited them on false pretexts and promises. The CBI has busted a major human trafficking network conducting searches in several cities and collecting incriminating evidence. A case of human trafficking has been registered against several agents. We once again appeal to Indian nationals to not be swayed by offers made by agents for support jobs with the Russian army. This is fraught with danger and risk to life. We remain committed to the early release of our nationals serving as support staff with the Russian Army and their eventual return home."

March 7
Day CBI officials went to Vasai