NIA Drops UAPA Against US Citizen Matthew Aaron Van Dyke and 6 Ukrainians
The NIA filed a chargesheet against seven foreign nationals, including US citizen Matthew Aaron Van Dyke (Matthew VanDyke) and six Ukrainians, for illegal entry and movement. The agency did not invoke the UAPA anti-terror law despite initial probes into alleged mercenary links. The agency has accused the seven of offences under sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet on Tuesday, September 8, against seven foreign nationals, including US citizen Matthew Aaron Van Dyke (Matthew VanDyke) and six Ukrainian citizens, for offences related to illegal entry, stay, and movement. However, the federal agency did not invoke the stringent anti-terror law UAPA in the formal filing.
Chargesheet and Legal Provisions
The chargesheet was submitted before Special Judge Prashant Sharma. The accused have been booked under Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, which address unauthorised entry and movement within restricted or protected zones, reports PTI. Tihar Food ‘Too Spicy, Oily’: US Mercenary Matthew Aaron VanDyke Seeks Chicken, Fish, Shrimp in Court Plea.
The case initially drew wide attention when the NIA registered a broader terror conspiracy probe under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) alongside sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). While the agency opted not to apply the stringent anti-terror provisions in this chargesheet, the investigation initially centered on alleged links to cross-border networks.
Background of the Arrests
The accused - identified alongside Van Dyke as Kaminskyi Viktor, Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stefankiv Marian, and Honcharuk Maksim - were taken into custody on March 13. According to earlier submissions by the agency, the group allegedly infiltrated India from Myanmar through the Mizoram border before traveling to different parts of the country and subsequently being intercepted at various domestic airports.
Investigators previously claimed the group operated as mercenaries and probed their suspected involvement in assisting ethnic armed groups, including providing drone training. Following their initial arrests, a special court granted the NIA custody for interrogation before remanding them to judicial custody.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 08, 2026 06:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
