Top News

Days after being detained in Russia, Kanpur-based engineer Chandan Gupta has been released and has safely returned home, his wife Sneha Gupta confirmed in a video statement. Sneha said her husband was freed after his employer arranged legal assistance and remained in constant touch with her throughout the ordeal. She also thanked BJP MP Seema Dwivedi and members of the Sarv Vaishya Samaj for helping escalate the matter with the authorities and drawing public attention to the case.

The development comes as a major relief for the family after Sneha had earlier appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, expressing concern over her husband's safety and saying she had no information about his whereabouts.

Employer Arranged Lawyer, Says Wife

Sneha, who is based in Moscow, said she was initially unaware that Chandan had been detained. According to her, he was taken into custody at around 11.40 pm on Saturday, and both his phone and passport were seized. She learnt about the incident through a friend who had been with him.

After discovering what had happened, she immediately contacted Chandan's employer, UFlex Ltd. Sneha credited the Noida-based company for supporting her during the crisis, saying its Russia administration team and unit head stayed in regular contact with her.

She said the company also hired a lawyer for Chandan, whose legal assistance eventually led to his release.

“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,” she said.

Wife Feared He Could Be Forced Into Russian Army

Before Chandan's release, Sneha had publicly alleged that her husband could be pressured into joining the Russian military. She had sought intervention from Indian authorities to ensure his safe return.

According to her earlier account, Chandan had travelled to Russia on a work visa for a professional assignment. The couple, who are from Kanpur, have a 10-year-old son.

Sneha had maintained that her husband had committed no offence and claimed that foreign nationals, including Indians, were being approached for military recruitment due to personnel shortages in the Russian armed forces.

Following his release, she also rejected media reports carrying allegations against Chandan, calling them baseless. While declining to discuss the details, she said there was no evidence to support those claims.

She added that being away from India had made the situation especially difficult, and thanked everyone who supported her during the crisis.

The exact reasons behind Chandan's detention, the allegations against him and whether any military recruitment attempt was involved remain unclear. No official statement has been issued on the matter so far.

During the detention, the Indian Embassy in Russia had said it was in touch with Sneha as well as the local authorities. It had described the matter as a legal issue under investigation by Russian law enforcement and confirmed that it had sought consular access to Chandan.