Kanpur engineer released days after detention in Russia, returns home

UP engineer Chandan Gupta, detained in Russia, has been released and is safely back home, according to his wife Sneha Gupta. Earlier, she had expressed concern that her husband could be pressured into joining the Russian military.

In Short

• Kanpur engineer Chandan Gupta released from detention in Russia
• His phone and passport were taken before a friend alerted Sneha
• Wife credits UFlex Ltd and legal help for securing his release

Days after being detained in Russia, a Kanpur-based engineer has been released and is now safely back home, his wife Sneha Gupta confirmed in a video. She said her husband, Chandan Gupta, was released after his employer arranged legal assistance and stayed in regular contact with her throughout the ordeal. She also thanked BJP MP Seema Dwivedi and members of the Sarv Vaishya Samaj for helping bring her concerns to the authorities and raising awareness about the case.

The development provides relief to the family after Sneha had earlier appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for help, saying she was worried about her husband's safety and did not know what was happening to him.

In her latest statement, Sneha, based in Moscow, said she did not initially know that her husband had been detained. She said Chandan was taken in custody at around 11.40 pm on Saturday and that his phone and passport had been taken away. A friend who was with him later helped inform her about the detention.

Seeking information about his whereabouts and the circumstances surrounding his detention, Sneha said she began contacting his company as soon as she learnt about the incident. She credited UFlex Ltd, the Noida-based company with which Chandan is associated, for helping her during the crisis. According to Sneha, the company's Russian operation, including its administration department and unit head, stayed in regular contact with her.

She said the company also hired a lawyer for Chandan, who was subsequently released.

"UFlex Ltd is a Delhi-based company and has a branch here in Russia called UFlex Ltd Russia. The administration department here and the unit head were continuously in touch with me. They also hired a lawyer for my husband, with whose help he was released at night," she said.

WIFE CLAIMS HE WAS TOLD TO JOIN RUSSIAN ARMY

Before Chandan's release, Sneha had publicly expressed concern that her husband could be pressured into joining the Russian military. She had appealed to authorities to intervene and help ensure his safe return. According to the earlier account shared by Sneha, Chandan had travelled to Russia on a work visa for a professional assignment. The couple is from Kanpur and have a 10-year-old son.

At the time, Sneha had alleged that her husband had committed no wrongdoing but had nevertheless been detained. She had also claimed that foreign nationals, including Indians, were being approached for military recruitment because of personnel shortages in the Russian armed forces.

After her husband's release, Sneha also addressed allegations that had surfaced in media reports about him. She said she came to know about the claims through the media and strongly rejected them as baseless. While she said she did not want to go into the details at this stage, she insisted that there was no truth or evidence behind the allegations.

Sneha said the distance from India had made the situation particularly difficult for her and that the support she received had helped her get through the crisis.

The exact circumstances surrounding Chandan's detention, the allegations against him and any possible military recruitment process remain unclear. No official statement has been issued so far.

The Indian Embassy in Russia had also acknowledged the case during the detention, saying it was in touch with Sneha as well as the local authorities. The embassy said Russian law enforcement authorities had described the matter as a legal issue that was under investigation and confirmed that it had sought consular access to Chandan.

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