Kanpur engineer alleges torture by Russian police, questions embassy's role

Kanpur engineer alleges torture in Russian custody

Chandan Gupta, an Indian engineer, alleges abuse and torture during a 48-hour detention by Russian police in Moscow.

Gupta denies police allegations of being drunk and breaking an ambulance window, stating no evidence was provided.

He claims he was denied contact with family, a translator, and was forced to sign documents under duress.

Gupta and his wife criticise the Indian Embassy in Moscow for not contacting him and for issuing statements based solely on the Russian police's account.

Traumatised by the experience, Gupta has returned to India with his family and has vowed never to work abroad again.

A Kanpur-based engineer who returned from Moscow after spending nearly 48 hours in Russian police custody has alleged that he and a friend were abused, threatened and tortured, saying the experience left him so traumatised that he would never work abroad again.

Chandan Gupta, 45, a resident of Yashoda Nagar, returned to Kanpur with his wife and 10-year-old son on Thursday.

He had been living in Moscow with his family since 2023 and working for a multinational packaging company based in Noida on a highly qualified visa, according to his family.

He said he was detained in Moscow on September 5 on allegations of being under the influence of alcohol and breaking the window of an ambulance.

Gupta denied both allegations and said police did not show him any evidence to substantiate the charges.

"I have no intention of going back to Russia for work. In fact, I will never even consider going abroad again," Gupta told reporters in Kanpur on Saturday while recounting his experience in custody.

The Detention And Allegations

Gupta said he had gone for a walk with friends after dinner on September 5 and was heading towards the Kitay-Gorod metro station with his friend Ashish after passing through the Hanging Bridge and Red Square, when Russian police detained them.

"They tied one hand of each of us and took us to a police vehicle parked a few hundred metres away. They took our mobile phones, passports and other documents. We repeatedly asked why we were being detained, but they did not tell us," he alleged.

He said police later accused them of breaking an ambulance window and being drunk.

"I asked them when and where I had broken the ambulance glass. They did not show me any photograph or video. They also said I was drunk, but I had not consumed alcohol," Gupta said.

He alleged that the police vehicle drove around for nearly an hour before they were taken to a police station, where he and Ashish were not allowed to contact their families or meet anyone.

Police didn't provide a translator despite the language barrier, he claimed.

Allegations Of Abuse And Forced Confession

Gupta alleged that police pushed and threatened them and that Ashish was taken to a separate room and beaten with sticks after repeatedly asking why they had been detained.

Before their release, the Russian police allegedly made them sign several documents.

"They told us to write whatever they instructed us to write. I was threatened that although I was being released, I could be detained again and police could seek a longer remand if I did not comply," Gupta alleged.

He said his company later arranged lawyers who helped secure their release.

"I was scared that if I stayed in Moscow, I could be implicated in another case. That is why I decided to return to India with my family," he said.

Wife's Appeal And Embassy's Role Questioned

A day after Gupta's detention, his wife Sneha shared a video on social media and appealed to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for help in securing his release.

Identifying herself as a resident of Kanpur, she said she was in Moscow with their 10-year-old son.

She alleged that her husband had been taken away by police around 12.30 am despite, according to her, having done nothing wrong. Gupta was working for UFlex Ltd.

His wife, Sneha, 40, also questioned how the Indian Embassy in Moscow handled the matter.

Gupta alleged that no Embassy official contacted him during his nearly 48 hours in custody, despite his wife's appeal to the Indian government for help through social media.

"What hurts me most is that the Indian Embassy issued information based on the Russian police version without hearing my side," Gupta alleged.

Sneha questioned the basis of the allegations against her husband.

"If Chandan had consumed alcohol, was he medically examined? If he had broken the ambulance window, where is the photograph or video? Where was the ambulance and where was my husband at that time?" she asked.

"The Indian Embassy should clarify its position and the incident should be investigated," she said.

The Indian Embassy in Moscow had earlier said Gupta was detained by Russian police and accused of being under the influence of alcohol and breaking the windows of an ambulance parked nearby.

Sneha said the family felt safer after returning to India.

"I have complete faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. I believe the Indian government will ensure the safety of its citizens," she said.