NIA Charge Sheet: No Terror Charges Filed
Indiadailyupdate.com – In NIA charge sheet no terror counts appear against a US national and six Ukrainians detained in India’s northeast. The National Investigation Agency submitted its report to the court of special judge Prashant Sharma at Rouse Avenue Courts, listing offences under Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act. The agency deliberately excluded charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the statute under which the seven were originally held, while confirming that its inquiry into those counts continues.
From Terror Arrest to Immigration Offences
The seven were picked up on March 13 at Kolkata, Delhi, and Lucknow airports. US national Mathew Aaron VanDyke was taken into custody at Kolkata airport under Section 18 of the UAPA, a provision targeting conspiracy, advocacy, abetment, or incitement to commit a terrorist act. His six Ukrainian companions — Hurba Petro, Taras Slyviak, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Marian Stefankiv, Maksim Honcharuk, and Viktor Kaminskyi — were arrested the same day at Delhi and Lucknow.
Weeks later, the filed report tells a narrower story. Section 21 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, covering entry into a notified Protected Area without the requisite permit, carries a maximum sentence of five years. Section 23, addressing violations of visa conditions, carries up to three years. The agency explained that the group breached their visa terms by crossing into a protected zone unauthorised and subsequently crossing the India-Myanmar border through points not designated for international travel.
“We have filed a charge sheet against seven accused under the Immigration and Foreigners Act. The probe has been kept open in all other aspects, including the UAPA charges,” Rahul Tyagi, NIA’s special public prosecutor, stated.
The Alleged Myanmar Crossing and Drone Training
According to the report, the seven entered India on valid travel documents in December 2025. They subsequently travelled to Guwahati and Mizoram without obtaining the mandatory Protected Area Permit or Restricted Area Permit. From there, the agency alleges, they crossed illegally into Myanmar to reach a site called Victoria Camp, where they were reportedly scheduled to conduct pre-arranged training for Myanmar-based Ethnic Armed Groups in drone warfare, assembly, and jamming technology.
The group allegedly returned to India around March 5, 2026. NIA stated that some of the Myanmar-based groups with which the accused were linked maintain connections to insurgent organisations operating inside India, particularly in the northeastern states. The agency framed the trip not as a simple immigration lapse but as part of “a larger conspiracy involving Indian insurgent groups, particularly those active in the northeastern states.”
Logistical details describe six taxis hired through a car-rental company catering to foreign visitors, used to transport the group from Guwahati into Mizoram’s Protected Area. The vehicles allegedly halted for several hours before the group crossed into Myanmar via the Tiau river route, arriving at Victoria Camp on December 29, 2025. Two individuals identified as Abika and Viktor/Kima are said to have arranged the border-crossing logistics.
Investigation Remains Open on Terror Counts
Although the filed report omits UAPA offences, the agency made clear that its inquiry into those counts is ongoing. NIA had originally been allotted 90 days to file charges and was subsequently granted an additional 90-day extension. In the document, the agency stated that it had completed a substantial portion of its work on the UAPA offences but required further time to “ascertain and verify the true and complete facts about the commission of offences under UAPA.”
VanDyke, based in Baltimore according to his personal website, describes himself as a former soldier, international businessman, war correspondent, and columnist. He claims veteran status from the Libyan revolution, says he was held as a prisoner of war there, and identifies as the founder of a military contracting outfit called SOLI — Sons of Liberty International. His public profile blends journalism, commerce, and paramilitary enterprise, a combination that has drawn scrutiny from investigators probing foreign-linked activity in India’s border regions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were no UAPA charges included in the filed report? NIA stated it had completed a substantial portion of its work on the terror counts but needed additional time to verify all facts. The agency confirmed the probe into those offences remains open and that it had been granted a further 90-day extension beyond its original deadline.
What specific immigration offences were charged? Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act. Section 21 covers entry into a notified Protected Area without a permit (up to five years). Section 23 covers violations of visa conditions (up to three years).
Where and when were the seven arrested? On March 13, at Kolkata, Delhi, and Lucknow airports. VanDyke was taken at Kolkata under Section 18 UAPA; the six Ukrainians were arrested at Delhi and Lucknow the same day.
What is the status of the terror investigation? Ongoing. The agency explicitly kept the UAPA counts open while filing the immigration charges, indicating that additional allegations may be added once verification is complete.
