In a major revelation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named the son of a BJP corporator in Madhya Pradesh, as the prime accused in a student visas misuse case to push Indians at the Russia-Ukraine war front, The Indian Express reported.
Accused Suyash Mukut’s mother, Anita Mukut serves as the BJP‘s elected representative in the Dhar municipal council in MP. As per the sources the Mukut family, originally from Indore, settled in Dhar, where Suyash’s father Ramakant Mukut works as a general physician.
When approached for comment, BJP’s Dhar district president, Manoj Somani mentioned he learned about the CBI case through media reports and said that the legal process should proceed unhindered.
Notably, the Mukut family’s social media accounts feature numerous photos with senior BJP leaders.
What CBI investigation revealed?
As per CBI, Mukut’s organization, 24X7 RAS Overseas Foundation, allegedly sent 180 individuals to Russia, primarily on student visas, under dubious circumstances. While the CBI did not disclose the names of the implicated institutions, it is investigating the involvement of embassy personnel.
Last week, CBI registered a First Information Report (FIR) against various visa consultancy firms and agents for allegedly deceiving youths by offering them lucrative jobs in the Russia-Ukraine war zone. Further, CBI teams conducted searches across 15 locations in seven cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Thiruvananthapuram, Ambala, Madurai, and Chennai.
The CBI spokesperson revealed that the agency preyed on vulnerable youths with promises of attractive foreign job opportunities.
Among the accused are M/s 24×7 RAS Overseas Foundation and its director ‘Suyash Mukut’ based in New Delhi, M/s O.S.D Bros Travels & Visa Services Pvt Ltd. and its director Rakesh Pandey in Mumbai, M/s Adventure Visa Services Pvt Ltd. and its director Manjeet Singh in Punjab (Chandigarh), and Baba Vlogs Overseas Recruitment Solutions Pvt Ltd. in Dubai, along with its director Faisal Abdul Mutalib Khan, also known as Baba.
The role of Mukut’s associates
The now-defunct website of RAS Overseas listed contact details, including a phone number allegedly linked to Tanukant Sharma, who is identified as Mukut’s associate from Haryana in the CBI FIR.
After joining X (Twitter) in 2019, Sharma’s account named ‘Chowkidar Tanukant Sharma’ has not posted a single tweet and has only four followers, including Suyash Mukut and two “students of Russia’s Voronezh State Medical University”.
The CBI FIR stated that the 24×7 RAS Overseas Foundation, which was established in January 2023, does not name Garima Balayan – the company’s second director.
Another firm, 24X7 Ras Overseas Services Private Limited, formed in June 2022 with Suyash and his brother Parth as directors, operates from a residential address in Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave, according to Registrar of Companies records.
However, The Indian Express investigation mentioned that no office exists in the residential building, with the property owner denying any knowledge of the company or the Mukut family.