Raipur Man Trapped in Russia After Job Offer Turns to Detention

A 38-year-old store manager from Raipur named Tikeshwar Sahu travelled to Russia for a job offer received through Telegram, only to end up detained in jail and pressured to join the Russian Army. Sahu left Raipur on September 7 and flew to Moscow before heading to Volgograd on a tourist visa, with the promise that it would later become a work visa. Upon arrival, he received 5,000 Russian rubles and was allegedly pressured to sign documents consenting to military service. His family lost normal contact after September 16, later receiving a handwritten letter from a Russian number stating he was falsely implicated in a case involving illegal substances and forced into the army.

Family Appeal

On November 4, Sahu's wife Manorama wrote to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Raipur Police Commissioner Sanjeev Shukla to seek a probe, diplomatic help, legal assistance, medical care, and his safe return. A senior Raipur police official confirmed receipt of the complaint, stating it would be routed through the state home department to the Ministry of External Affairs. Sahu's relatives noted he has a thyroid condition, takes regular medication, has not received his medicines in detention, and was reportedly assaulted. To help him, the family hired a lawyer in Russia, spending 1.5 lakh rupees on fees, and learned on October 22 that he was hospitalised due to high blood pressure. They also reached out to the Indian and Russian embassies, approached the DGP headquarters in Naya Raipur, met political leaders, and filed an application on the Prime Minister's grievance portal. Sahu's case mirrors that of 21-year-old Vineet Kumar Dubey from Bilaspur, who also travelled to Russia on a tourist visa in September after a job offer on Telegram without knowing the true nature of the work.

Context

Many young job-seekers from various countries have faced grave risks abroad after accepting unverified employment offers spread through messaging apps like Telegram. Diplomatic channels and government ministries routinely handle such cases of citizens stranded or trapped in conflict zones under false pretences. Families in these situations often have to rely on local police complaints, state administrative channels, and national foreign ministries to coordinate rescue efforts with embassies overseas.