New Delhi:
The Centre on Friday informed the Supreme Court that most of the Indian citizens who fought on Russia’s behalf in Ukraine had joined the war effort of their own accord and at least 10 of them died. One family in Jammu, however, has refused to accept the body of their son, demanding a DNA test to establish his identity.
The Supreme Court bench — comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi — was hearing a writ petition filed by the families of 26 Indian nationals claiming the men were lured into Russia with the promise of jobs but were forced into Moscow’s war efforts.
Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati submitted before the court that most of the Indians who travelled to Russia had signed voluntary contracts with Russian forces to fight the war. She said that one of the families had refused to accept the body of their son and wasn’t cooperating with officials.
The family says they can’t accept the body until forensic tests confirm the man’s identity.
“We have been scammed twice before, when we were told that our son was dead. Now again, they are saying he is no more and sharing unverified information. We don’t know whose bodies they are offering. They did not take any DNA sample and yet expect us to believe this,” Mukeet Sharma, the father of 23-year-old Sumeet Sharma, told NDTV.
Also read: “Grave Concern”: Supreme Court On Indians Forced Into Russia-Ukraine War
Sumeet Sharma went to Russia on a student visa in 2024. His father, a farmer in Jammu, claims he was deployed by Russian forces — initially to build bunkers and subsequently to fight the war in Ukraine.
Sumeet’s last contact with his family was on September 23 last year, when he told them that he had been forced to join the war on the frontline.
“They are misleading us and not giving any proof that the body belongs to our son…despite several media reports on our case and intervention from the Supreme Court, nothing has changed on the ground for us,” a fatigued and tired Sharma said.
“I cannot say more… I have said enough to so many people on so many occasions, but it seems no one is listening. We just want to know the truth about our son. We believe he is alive and we won’t accept the body without any proof,” he added.
Bhati admitted to the court that there were some cases of agents misleading the men. One such agent has been arrested, she added.
However, advocate Ritwik Bhanot, appearing for the petitioners, argued that several people were coerced into fighting the war after their passports were snatched away.
“They have not collected our DNA samples. They are not even in contact with us,” the counsel told the court.
The Centre maintained that it had made arrangements for the return of the body, but it was facing a lack of cooperation from the family.
“There are human angles involved. They have to cooperate with us; we are there to support every Indian citizen in distress abroad,” Bhati said.
The government said 215 Indians had travelled to Russia, of whom the families of 26 individuals have petitioned before the court.
The Chief Justice noted that retrieving the body from a war zone could be extremely challenging and that the matter needs to be handled “tactfully”.
The court has directed the Ministry of External Affairs to file a detailed status report on the steps taken in the matter.
