US national Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) along with six Ukrainians for allegedly entering India through Myanmar without valid travel documents in March, has claimed that they were imprisoned in India for over six months as part of Russia's war against Ukraine. He also vowed to disclose “shocking details” about the case in the coming months.
In a post on X, Van Dyke said, “India threw me and several Ukrainians in prison for over six months. This was part of Russia's war against Ukraine.”
“I will reveal shocking details about this story over the next few months, in both posts and media interviews,” he added.
A Delhi court recently allowed Van Dyke and the six Ukrainian nationals to travel to their home countries, the US and Ukraine, for one month after they were discharged from proceedings under the Immigration and Foreigners Act (IFA), 2025.
In the order dated September 25, Special NIA Judge Prashant Sharma observed that the right to travel abroad was an extension of fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The court noted that the NIA's investigation into alleged offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was still underway, but said the agency had not demanded their physical presence in the near future to complete the probe.
The court directed them to join the investigation through videoconferencing or physically, whenever required by the NIA, and return to India after completing one month in their respective countries.
The six Ukrainians – Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim and Kaminskyi Viktor – were discharged on September 18, while Van Dyke was discharged on September 25, after the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) compounded the offences by imposing a fine of Rs 5.5 lakh on each.
Van Dyke was granted default bail on September 18, while the six Ukrainians were granted default bail on September 23.
The NIA arrested Van Dyke on March 13 along with the six Ukrainians after they allegedly entered India from Myanmar through the Mizoram border. They were intercepted at various domestic airports across the country.
The agency alleged that the group was involved in a wider conspiracy involving assistance to ethnic armed groups in India and Myanmar, including imparting drone-warfare training.
The NIA initially registered a case under provisions of the UAPA and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
However, in its first chargesheet filed on September 8, the agency invoked sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, relating to unauthorised entry, visa overstay and other contraventions, while stating that its probe under the UAPA was continuing.
The agency said a supplementary chargesheet could be filed if further investigation established offences under the anti-terror law.
The NIA told the court earlier that the accused were allegedly involved in a pre-scheduled training programme for Myanmar-based ethnic armed groups, covering drone warfare, drone operations, assembly and jamming technology.
The agency also said that further investigation was required to ascertain the complete facts, particularly in view of the import and recovery of a large quantity of drones and accessories through India.
(With inputs from PTI)
