A Delhi court has extended till February the permission for seven foreign citizens, including US citizen Matthew VanDyke and six Ukrainians, to stay abroad as the investigation in an arms training case is still ongoing.
On Friday, a Delhi court extended till February the permission for United States citizen Matthew VanDyke and six Ukrainians to stay abroad while the investigation in an arms training case was continuing, according to Hindustan Times. The seven foreign citizens were arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on March 13 for allegedly having links to ethnic armed groups in Myanmar that are hostile to India.
The court allowed the extension after the agency stated that it needed more time to investigate the case. On September 24, they were allowed to travel to their home countries for a month on the condition that they would rejoin the investigation. They had been directed to return to India after one month and inform the court of their return within 72 hours.
While VanDyke returned to India for the court hearing on Friday, the six Ukrainians did not appear in person, citing health problems. They appeared through video conferencing, The New Indian Express reported. After their counsel submitted that they were unwell, the court extended the permission for them to stay outside India.
VanDyke leads Sons of Liberty International, a US-based organization that claims to provide security consulting, training, and weapons supplies ‘to vulnerable populations to enable them to defend themselves against terrorists and insurgents’.
On September 8, the NIA filed a chargesheet against the seven foreigners for illegally entering, staying, and moving in India under the 2025 Immigration and Foreigners Act. Although they had been arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, the agency only accused them of immigration violations in the chargesheet.
Investigators alleged that the individuals had entered India on valid visas but later travelled to Mizoram without the mandatory restricted area permit. They were also accused of entering Myanmar and meeting ethnic groups hostile to India. Officials alleged that the individuals received drone deliveries from Europe while in Mizoram.
They were reportedly arrested in Delhi, Kolkata, and Lucknow while trying to leave India.
Source:
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