> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.theglobalvoice.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # In a Bizarre Twist Delhi Court Allows Seven Foreign Nationals in NIA Case to Travel Home - URL: https://www.theglobalvoice.com/in-a-bizarre-twist-delhi-court-allows-seven-foreign-nationals-in-nia-case-to-travel-home/ - Published: 2026-09-25T05:15:27.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-26T03:22:31.000Z - Description: A Delhi court has allowed one American and six Ukrainians investigated in an NIA terror case to visit their home countries for one month. The agency has kept its UAPA investigation open, but its first chargesheet contained only immigration offences. - Author: TGV Desk - Tags: India, that is Bharat, conflict, Crime, The Day So Far, has-audio A Delhi court has permitted an American national and six Ukrainians investigated by the National Investigation Agency to travel to their home countries for one month, weeks after the agency filed its first chargesheet without including offences under India’s anti-terror law. Special NIA Judge Prashant Sharma allowed American national [Matthew Aaron VanDyke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew%5FVanDyke?ref=theglobalvoice.com) to travel to the United States and permitted Petro Hurba, Taras Slyviak, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Marian Stefankiv, Maksim Honcharuk and Viktor Kaminskyi to return to Ukraine. The one-month period will be calculated from the date on which each man boards his flight. They must return to India when the permitted period ends and remain available to investigators. The court directed the seven men to provide their residential addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses and the details of close contacts in their respective countries. They must inform the NIA about where they are staying within 24 hours and have undertaken to join the investigation whenever required. The September 24 order followed their release on default bail. VanDyke was granted bail on September 18, while the six Ukrainians received the same relief several days later on the ground of parity with him. All seven were arrested on March 13 after the NIA accused them of entering Myanmar illegally through Mizoram and providing drone-warfare training to ethnic armed groups fighting the country’s military government. The agency alleged that they offered instruction in drone operation, assembly and jamming technology. Investigators also claimed that drone equipment had been imported from Europe and transported through India. The NIA linked the men to Myanmar-based armed organisations that it said had maintained connections with insurgent groups operating against India. It also investigated their possible involvement in a drone attack on a civilian aircraft in Myanmar. The accusations have not resulted in terrorism charges so far. When the NIA filed its first chargesheet on September 8, it invoked only Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, covering illegal entry and violations of visa conditions. --- The agency did not invoke the [Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act](https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/A1967-37.pdf?ref=theglobalvoice.com), even though the original case had been registered under Section 18 of the law, which covers conspiracy, attempted terrorism and assistance in committing a terrorist act. The NIA said its investigation into possible UAPA offences remained open and that a supplementary chargesheet could be filed if further evidence emerged. The court subsequently described the first chargesheet as “piecemeal”. It ruled that the agency could not deny the accused their statutory right to default bail by filing a chargesheet limited to immigration offences while continuing its investigation under the UAPA. Under the anti-terror law, investigators can receive up to 180 days to complete an investigation before an accused person becomes entitled to seek default bail. The seven men were arrested in March, and that period expired on September 8. The Ukrainians were also discharged from the immigration offences after paying penalties of ₹5.5 lakh each to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office. Those offences are compoundable, meaning they can be settled through payment of a prescribed penalty rather than a full criminal trial. The NIA opposed unrestricted relief but did not tell the court that the physical presence of the seven men would be required in the immediate future. Judge Sharma said the right to travel abroad forms part of the personal liberty protected by Article 21 of the Constitution and must be balanced against the requirements of an ongoing investigation. The travel order does not end the case or amount to an acquittal. The NIA remains free to continue investigating the alleged drone-training operation and bring additional charges if it obtains sufficient evidence.