Delhi court allows VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians to travel home after NIA charge sheet
The court said the seven accused may travel for one month and must return to India after the trip while NIA investigation continues.
- On Thursday, a special NIA court at Rouse Avenue permitted U.S. national Matthew Aaron Vandyke and six Ukrainian nationals to travel to their home countries for one month. The court order allows them to visit family after being granted default bail.
- Authorities arrested the group on March 13, 2026, alleging involvement in training ethnic armed groups in Myanmar. The National Investigation Agency initially filed a chargesheet focusing on immigration violations rather than terror-related offenses.
- Citing the right to travel abroad as an extension of fundamental rights, NIA Special Judge Prashant Sharma ordered the group to return to India after one month. They must inform the court of their return within 72 hours.
- Mandating cooperation with investigators, the court ordered the accused to furnish residential addresses, phone numbers, and emails within 24 hours. They must remain available for investigation via video call or physical appearance if required by the NIA.
- Following expiration of the 180-day investigation period on September 8, 2026, the court granted default bail. The NIA maintains that further investigation into Unlawful Activities Prevention Act offenses remains underway.
23 Articles
23 Articles
Explained: Here are 3 cases which show why US mercenary Matthew Vandyke will never set foot on India again
History is proof enough that once foreign nationals accused in serious cases are allowed to step outside India, bringing them back becomes an uphill task, if not impossible. That raises a fair question: can the NIA court really guarantee that VanDyke and the six Ukrainians will return after their month abroad?
Court allows 7 foreign nationals in drone warfare case to go home
A Delhi court has permitted seven foreign nationals, including a US citizen and six Ukrainians, arrested in connection with an NIA probe into an alleged drone-warfare training camp in Myanmar, to travel to their home countries. The court cited the fundamental right to travel abroad, despite the ongoing Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) investigation, and set conditions for their return and cooperation.
Matthew Vandyke, 6 Ukrainians allowed to travel abroad for a month by NIA court
A special NIA court in Delhi has allowed US national Matthew Aaron Vandyke and six Ukrainian nationals to travel to the US and Ukraine for one month to meet their families. The court also ordered the release of their passports and directed them to return to India after a month and inform the court within 72 hours.
Delhi Court Allows US, Ukrainian Nationals To Travel Home For A Month
A Delhi court on Thursday allowed US national Matthew Aaron VanDyke and six Ukrainian nationals, who were arrested earlier this year, to travel to their respective home countries for a month, subject to certain conditions.
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