NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken seven foreigners, including six Ukrainians and one US national, into custody for 11 days for questioning over alleged illegal entry into India and involvement in terror activities in the north-east, officials said on Monday.
A city court remanded the seven foreigners to NIA custody until March 27 after they were produced before the NIA court.
It is alleged that three Ukrainians were arrested in Delhi, three in Lucknow, and the US citizen in Kolkata.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Prashant Sharma ordered the 11-day custodial remand in a closed courtroom. The NIA had requested 15 days to investigate the matter.
According to the agency, the individuals entered Mizoram, a protected area, on visas before crossing into Myanmar, where they allegedly contacted and trained ethnic insurgent groups linked to violence in India. The NIA also claimed they brought a large consignment of drones from Europe via India.
Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Atul Tyagi, along with Amit Rohila and others, represented the NIA, while senior advocates Pramod Kumar Dubey and Atul Sehgal appeared for the accused, opposing the custodial remand.