Delhi court extends overseas stay permission for Matthew VanDyke, six Ukrainians till February 24

A Delhi court on Friday extended till February 24 next year the permission granted to US national Matthew Aaron VanDyke and six Ukrainian nationals to stay outside India in connection with the alleged Myanmar drone training camp case. The order came after VanDyke appeared before the special NIA court following his return from the United States, where he had been allowed to visit his family.

VanDyke attended the proceedings at the Rouse Avenue court complex in compliance with a condition attached to his month-long visit home. In September, Special NIA Judge Prashant Sharma had directed him to return after the permitted period and inform the court within 72 hours of his arrival.

VanDyke had earlier joined a hearing through video link from the US on October 1 and told the court that he had booked his return flight for October 21.

Why Matthew VanDyke received default bail

The NIA arrested VanDyke at Kolkata airport on March 13, while the six Ukrainian nationals were detained at airports in Delhi and Lucknow. The agency initially investigated them under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which deals with alleged terrorist conspiracies.

However, on September 8, the NIA filed a chargesheet citing only Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. It did not include UAPA offences, saying that part of the investigation was still unfinished.

On September 18, the court granted VanDyke default bail after the statutory 180-day period for completing the UAPA investigation expired. Default bail does not mean that the court has found an accused person innocent; it protects the right to release when investigators fail to complete the required investigation within the legal deadline.

VanDyke was released on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and a surety of the same amount. He subsequently paid Rs 5.5 lakh to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office to settle the immigration offences. The court later discharged him from those offences, but the NIA’s separate UAPA investigation has not been closed.

Where are the six Ukrainian co-accused?

The other accused are Petro Hurba, Taras Slyviak, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Marian Stefankiv, Maksim Honcharuk and Viktor Kaminskyi. They too received default bail and permission to visit Ukraine for a month.

Unlike VanDyke, the six had not returned to India by Friday, according to reports citing people familiar with the proceedings. They also did not appear at the October 1 hearing, when an exemption request was submitted on their behalf.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, had earlier said Kyiv was willing to cooperate through an existing mutual legal assistance treaty and wanted a fair judicial process. No fresh court action against the Ukrainians over their absence had been publicly confirmed by Friday.

What NIA alleges about Myanmar drone training

According to the NIA, the seven accused entered India on tourist visas, travelled through Assam to Mizoram without the necessary restricted-area permits and then crossed into Myanmar through an unauthorised route.

Investigators allege that they trained fighters from ethnic armed organisations opposed to Myanmar’s military government in drone operations, equipment assembly and electronic jamming. The agency has identified the Chin National Front and the Kachin Independence Army among the groups allegedly trained.

The NIA has claimed that the instruction continued for nearly three months, with logistical assistance from Chin National Front members and funds arranged by a Myanmar rebel commander. Investigators have also examined claims that drones and jamming equipment were brought from Europe through India.

Reports have linked the initial intelligence lead to Russian agencies. Indian investigators have separately looked into possible local facilitators and a wider network of associates, although those allegations have not been proved in court.

Who is Matthew VanDyke?

VanDyke founded Sons of Liberty International, an organisation that describes its work as providing military training and security advice. He has publicly spoken about his involvement in conflicts in Libya and Ukraine, as well as his work as a journalist in other conflict zones.

The court’s latest order allows VanDyke and the six Ukrainian nationals to remain outside India until February 24 next year, while the NIA continues its investigation into the alleged Myanmar training network.

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