'He's Told To Join Russian Army': Wife Says Noida Engineer Detained In Moscow

New Delhi has responded to an Indian woman's SOS call from Moscow, alleging her husband was detained by Russian police and was being pressured to join the Russian military. Sources in the government said the Indian Embassy in Moscow was in touch with local authorities and working to secure the release of the Indian man, who, according to cops, was detained along with a friend for drinking in public and damaging public property. 

The response came after Sneha Gupta, who said she's based in Moscow, shared a video on social media urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to intervene and help in securing her husband's safe return.

The SOS video

In her appeal video, the woman identified her husband as Chandan Gupta, an engineer from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. She said their family was in Moscow on her husband's 'highly qualified specialist' visa, issued through his Noida-based company. 

Gupta said that Russian police arrested her husband around 12.30 pm on Sunday and that he was being held in jail despite, according to her, having committed no wrongdoing.

The woman further alleged that in detention, cops were pressuring her husband to join the Russian army to fight against Ukraine. She claimed a supposed shortage of personnel in the Russian military had led to attempts to forcefully recruit foreign nationals, including Indians, into the country's armed forces.

Without giving any proof, Gupta also alleged that cops had harassed her husband around Moscow Day before he was detained. 

In her emotional plea, the woman said the couple has a 10-year-old son and that the family has been left deeply distressed by the situation. She appealed to the Indian government and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to immediately intervene in the matter to secure her husband's safe release. 

What Sources Said

Sources told NDTV that Gupta is an employee of Flex Films Rus LLC, a local subsidiary of the Indian company Flex Films. He was detained along with a friend, identified as Ashish, at around 11:30 pm (local time) on September 5 from Moscow's Red Square premises on "charges of drunkenness and breaking glasses of an ambulance nearby."

"They are currently detained at the Baumanskaya police station, Moscow. The embassy has raised the matter with local authorities and requested their release. Meanwhile, consular access has also been sought," they said. 

Sources, however, did comment on allegations that Moscow was attempting to enlist Gupta in the Russian military.

The case comes amid ongoing concerns over Indians being lured into Russia on promises of jobs and subsequently recruited in the Russian military. 

Earlier this month, the Foreign Ministry said 227 Indian nationals have been recruited into the Russian armed forces, of whom 139 have been discharged while 51 have passed away. The ministry said that India remains engaged with the Russian side to seek the early discharge and return of the remaining Indian nationals.