On 23rd October (Friday), US mercernary Mathew VanDyke made an appearance before a Delhi court after returning to India. Earlier, he was permitted to spend a month in his home country on the condition to come back for the investigation. The court had ordered VanDyke to appear before it within 72 hours after arriving in India. “He is currently completing formalities in the court,” a source unveiled to Hindustan Times.
#WATCH | Myanmar Training camp case: Bailed-out US National Matthew Aaron Vandyke arrives at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court to appear before the NIA court, after returning from the USA. He was granted permission to travel to the USA to meet his family. In September 2026, the court had granted him permission to travel to the USA for a month. He was directed to return to India and to appear before the court.
— ANI (@ANI) October 23, 2026
However, the six Ukrainian nationals who were also apprehended with VanDyke are yet to return. They were also permitted to visit their country for a month on the proviso that they rejoin the probe by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Delhi. The agency arrested the seven accused on 13th March under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). However, it did not invoke UAPA in its chargesheet later.
The agency clarified that it has not dropped its terror probe against six Ukrainian nationals and US national Matthew Aaron VanDyke. According to reports, sources stated that an inquiry is underway, and the chargesheet does not indicate that all terror-related charges have been withdrawn.
The insiders mentioned that the agency has filed a chargesheet under the Immigration and Foreigners Act (IFA) because these violations have already been thoroughly proven throughout the investigation. Therefore, instead of letting the statutory period run out, the NIA lodged a chargesheet for those breaches, but this should not be mistaken for the conclusion of the broader probe.
The foreign nationals had been accused by the NIA of travelling to the Indian state of Mizoram without the required permit and later crossing into Myanmar. The agency probed them for being involved in a drone-warfare training camp linked to ethnic armed groups, such as the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Chin National Front (CNF) in Myanmar. It added that they brought drones from Europe for this purpose.
The accused also taught about assembly and jammer technologies for about three months. According to the NIA, they were even providing training in weapons use. They also went to Victoria Camp, which is the military headquarters of the Chin National Army (CNA), for the same objective.
VanDyke and the others received logistical assistance from CNF members. It further stated that a commander of a similar outfit in Myanmar organised the funds for the operation.
The agency mentioned that some of these ethnic armed groups have links with militant organisations operating in India’s Northeast. It also recovered potentially incriminating images, videos and voice samples from electronic devices seized during the investigation.
