3 hrs ago
Delhi Court Allows Seven NIA-Held Foreigners Family Visits Abroad
A Delhi court allowed seven foreign nationals to visit their families abroad.
One person is from the United States, and six are from Ukraine.
They were arrested by India’s National Investigation Agency, or NIA, in March.
The NIA says they were connected to armed groups in Myanmar and helped provide equipment and training.
The agency also accused them of breaking India’s immigration rules.
The group asked to stay abroad for six weeks, but the court approved only one month.
They must share their addresses and phone numbers and help with the investigation.
They must return to India and tell the court within 72 hours that they have returned.
A Delhi court allowed Matthew Aaron Van Dyke and six Ukrainian nationals to travel to the United States and Ukraine for one month.
The seven were arrested on March 13, 2026, over alleged links to ethnic armed groups in Myanmar.
The NIA alleges they supplied European drones, weapons and military equipment, and trained Myanmar-based groups in drone warfare.
The NIA’s September 8 chargesheet accused them of immigration violations, including traveling to Mizoram without the required restricted-area permit.
They must assist the investigation, provide contact details, return to India within one month and report their return within 72 hours.
- Who
- United States citizen Matthew Aaron Van Dyke and six Ukrainian nationals arrested by the National Investigation Agency.
- What
- A Delhi court permitted the seven accused to travel to the United States and Ukraine for one month to meet their families.
- Where
- The case is before a special NIA court at Rouse Avenue in Delhi; the accused may travel to the United States and Ukraine.
- When
- The permission was granted on Thursday, September 24, 2026; the arrests took place on March 13, 2026.
- Why
- They requested permission to visit families they said they had not seen for nearly 10 months, while the court required them to remain available to assist the investigation.
Prosecution Allegations
Accused Persons’ Position and Court Conditions
Alleged activities in Myanmar
Prosecution Allegations
The NIA alleges that the seven entered or traveled through Myanmar via Mizoram, supplied European drones and other military equipment, and trained ethnic armed groups hostile to India. One report says they had valid Indian visas but lacked a required restricted-area permit; another says they crossed without valid travel documents.
Accused Persons’ Position and Court Conditions
The accused sought permission to travel abroad to meet their families and indicated that they were willing to join the NIA investigation when required. The court allowed the travel subject to conditions rather than requiring them to remain abroad indefinitely.
Length of overseas stay
Prosecution Allegations
The NIA investigation remained ongoing, and the accused were required to remain available for questioning.
Accused Persons’ Position and Court Conditions
The accused requested six weeks abroad because they said they had not seen their families for nearly 10 months, but the court approved only one month and required their return to India.
Right to travel
Prosecution Allegations
The case involves allegations under India’s immigration law and had initially involved arrests under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
Accused Persons’ Position and Court Conditions
The court observed that the right to travel abroad is an extension of a fundamental right under India’s Constitution and ordered the release of the accused persons’ passports, subject to travel and reporting conditions.
Key facts
- Accused
- Matthew Aaron Van Dyke and six Ukrainian nationals
- Arrest date
- March 13, 2026
- Investigating agency
- National Investigation Agency
- Chargesheet date
- September 8, 2026
- Allegations
- Supplying drones, weapons and military equipment and training ethnic armed groups in Myanmar
- Travel period
- One month from the date they board their flights
- Return requirement
- Return to India and inform the court within 72 hours
- Court conditions
- Assist the NIA, including by video conference, and provide addresses, phone numbers and email addresses
Quotes
Special NIA court at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue
Court issuing the travel-permission order
“Accused Matthew Aaron Vandyke and co-accused persons, namely Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim alias Maksym and Kaminskyi Viktor, are allowed to go abroad to the USA and Ukraine, respectively, as per Law for a period of one month only, to be calculated from the date they board flights, subject to the following conditions”
wionews.com
Sources
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