The Delhi National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Wednesday discharged six Ukrainian nationals arrested in connection with a case involving drone
training in Myanmar, following the compounding order passed by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO). The court also granted default bail to all six Ukrainian accused persons in the case. However, the court has directed the accused persons not to leave Delhi without prior permission from the court. Meanwhile, the court has deferred the hearing of a plea filed by VanDyke, one of the accused, seeking permission to travel to the United States to meet his family. The development comes as the court considers the legal proceedings involving the six Ukrainian nationals, who were arrested by the NIA in connection with the Myanmar drone training case. The applications were moved by the US national Matthew Aaron VanDyke and six Ukrainian nationals accused in the Myanmar Training camp case, seeking their release from the case as the chargesheet doesn't have sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and offences under the Immigration and Foreigners Act have been compounded.
6 Ukrainian Nationals Arrested
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had arrested VanDyke on March 13 in connection with alleged offences under the UAPA. Six Ukrainian nationals were also in custody in the case. The NIA has filed a chargesheet without invoking UAPA provisions and has instead invoked Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.On September 18, the Special NIA court granted default bail to VanDyke after noting that the NIA had filed an incomplete chargesheet with regard to the alleged UAPA offences. The court noted that VanDyke had remained in custody for more than 180 days and that the NIA had not filed a charge sheet under the UAPA, while further investigation was continuing.
The court ordered that VanDyke be admitted to bail on furnishing a personal bond and surety bond of Rs 1 lakh each, subject to the satisfaction of the court.
The court also noted that under Section 43D(2) of the UAPA, the investigation was required to be completed within the statutory period of 180 days, which ended on September 8, 2026. The NIA filed the charge sheet on September 8 in relation to offences under Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act.
