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Delhi Court Grants Default Bail to Six Ukrainians
A Delhi court gave bail to six Ukrainians arrested in March.
Investigators said the group had links to armed groups in Myanmar that India considers hostile.
They were accused of providing weapons, military equipment and training.
Officials also alleged that they travelled to Mizoram without a required permit and entered Myanmar.
The National Investigation Agency filed a chargesheet accusing them of immigration violations.
The agency did not charge them with offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in that chargesheet.
A government office settled the immigration cases after each person paid a fine of Rs 5.5 lakh.
The court then discharged the six and granted bail with Rs 1 lakh cash bonds.
A Delhi court granted default bail to six Ukrainians arrested by the National Investigation Agency in March.
The six were accused of supplying weapons and military equipment to Myanmar-based ethnic armed groups and training them.
The NIA filed a chargesheet on September 8 alleging immigration violations, rather than charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The court discharged the Ukrainians after the Foreigners Regional Registration Office compounded their alleged offences with fines of Rs 5.5 lakh each.
They received bail against cash bonds of Rs 1 lakh each; US citizen Matthew Aaron Van Dyke received default bail earlier in the same case.
- Who
- Six Ukrainian citizens, along with US citizen Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, were arrested in the case by the National Investigation Agency.
- What
- A Delhi court granted default bail to the six Ukrainians and discharged them under the Immigration and Foreigners Act after their alleged immigration offences were compounded.
- Where
- The arrests took place at airports in Kolkata, Lucknow and Delhi; the allegations also involved travel to Mizoram and Myanmar.
- When
- The Ukrainians were arrested in March; the chargesheet was filed on September 8, and the bail order was issued on Wednesday.
- Why
- The court granted default bail after the investigation agency filed only immigration-related charges and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office compounded those offences.
Investigators' allegations
Court proceedings and defence position
Links to Myanmar armed groups
Investigators' allegations
Officials alleged that the seven foreigners supplied weapons and military equipment to ethnic armed groups in Myanmar that are hostile to India and provided them with training.
Court proceedings and defence position
The chargesheet filed by the National Investigation Agency accused them of immigration violations; it did not charge them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Travel and restricted-area allegations
Investigators' allegations
Investigators alleged that the individuals travelled from India to Mizoram without a mandatory restricted-area permit, entered Myanmar and met ethnic groups hostile to India. Officials also alleged that they received drone deliveries from Europe in Mizoram.
Court proceedings and defence position
The court discharged the six Ukrainians under the Immigration and Foreigners Act after the Foreigners Regional Registration Office compounded the alleged offences by imposing fines.
Basis for release
Investigators' allegations
The agency had arrested the accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and investigated suspected links with armed groups.
Court proceedings and defence position
Default bail was granted because the investigation and chargesheet process did not support continued custody within the statutory period; the immigration offences were also settled through compounding.
Key facts
- Court
- Special NIA Judge Prashant Sharma in Delhi
- Accused granted bail
- Six Ukrainian citizens
- Earlier bail
- Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, a US citizen, received default bail on Friday
- Chargesheet date
- September 8
- Fine per person
- Rs 5.5 lakh
- Cash bond per person
- Rs 1 lakh
- Investigating agency
- National Investigation Agency
Sources
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