Foreign mercenary plot: Patiala House Court allows NIA plea to shift case hearings to its HQ
New Delhi, March 27
A Delhi court on Friday allowed the National Investigation Agency's plea seeking that proceedings in the case related to the arrest of seven foreign nationals accused of providing terror training in Myanmar be conducted at its headquarters.
Considering security concerns, the Patiala House Court permitted the anti-terror agency's request and directed that all future hearings in the matter be held at the NIA headquarters, with the accused to be produced before the judge.
The accused - six Ukrainian nationals and one American citizen identified as Matthew Aaron VanDyke - were scheduled to be produced before the NIA court following the completion of their 11-day custody. However, the anti-terror agency moved an application requesting that further hearings be conducted at its headquarters instead of the court premises.
Allowing the plea, the court directed that the accused be produced before the designated judge at the NIA headquarters, where further proceedings will now take place.
According to the NIA, the case is considered "extremely sensitive" with potential national and international ramifications, as the seven accused were arrested for allegedly entering India on tourist visas and then travelling to Mizoram before illegally crossing into Myanmar.
Investigations have revealed that they were in contact with Myanmar-based ethnic armed groups and had allegedly imparted training in handling weapons and drone operations. The agency has further alleged that the accused had facilitated the procurement and movement of drones and electronic jamming equipment from Europe for use in training modules conducted across the border.
The seven accused include Ukrainian nationals Petro Hubra, Taras Slyviak, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Marian Stefankiv, Maksym Honcharuk and Viktor Kaminskyi, besides American national VanDyke.
VanDyke was arrested from Kolkata, while three Ukrainian nationals were apprehended from Delhi and the remaining three from Lucknow.
The case forms part of a larger probe by the NIA into an alleged international network involving foreign mercenaries operating in India's northeastern region.
Earlier investigations had indicated that the group had been active since 2024 and was engaged in training insurgent elements in Myanmar. Officials have said that the investigation is focussed not only on the arrested individuals but also on identifying local facilitators and uncovering the broader conspiracy, including possible attempts to use the northeastern corridor for transnational militant activities.
The NIA has stated that it is continuing its probe into the wider network and is coordinating with multiple domestic and international agencies to trace all linkages in the case.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The northeastern corridor has always been vulnerable. It's alarming that they were procuring drones and jamming equipment from Europe. Full support to NIA for a thorough probe. Hope they uncover the entire network and any local facilitators. 🇮🇳
While security is paramount, moving court hearings to an agency's headquarters sets a concerning precedent. The justice process should be transparent and accessible. I hope this is a one-off for genuine security reasons and doesn't become a norm for 'sensitive' cases.
As an expat, this is shocking. An American citizen involved in this? Matthew VanDyke's actions, if proven, are a disgrace. India has every right to protect its sovereignty. The international coordination mentioned is crucial.
Tourist visas being misused for such activities is a major loophole. Our immigration and intelligence need to tighten checks, especially for people traveling to border states like Mizoram. Good work by the agencies in Kolkata, Delhi, and Lucknow for the arrests.
This shows how global conflicts spill over. Myanmar's instability is being exploited, and our region is targeted. Hope the probe is swift and decisive. The people of the Northeast want peace and development, not foreign mercenaries stirring trouble.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.