A Delhi court on Friday extended until February 24, 2027, the permission granted to US national Matthew Aaron VanDyke and six Ukrainian nationals to remain outside India while the National Investigation Agency (NIA) continues its probe into allegations that they trained ethnic armed groups in Myanmar.
The extension came after the NIA told the court that it needed more time to investigate several aspects of the case, Hindustan Times reported.
VanDyke returned to India from the US to attend Friday’s court proceedings after being allowed to stay in his home country for a month. The six Ukrainian nationals, however, have not returned to India.
The seven were arrested on March 13 under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The NIA subsequently filed a chargesheet in September accusing them of offences under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, without invoking the UAPA provisions in the chargesheet.
The NIA had alleged that the accused provided training in drone warfare, drone operations, assembly and jamming technology to members of Myanmar-based ethnic armed groups, including the Chin National Front and the Kachin Independence Army.
According to the agency, the seven had allegedly entered Myanmar through Mizoram and participated in a pre-planned training programme for armed groups fighting Myanmar’s military junta.
A Delhi court had allowed the seven to travel to their respective countries in September, subject to conditions requiring them to cooperate with the investigation. The NIA has maintained that its probe under the UAPA is continuing.
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