While the accused had requested permission to remain abroad for six weeks, the court restricted the period to one month, to be calculated from the date of their departure. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
A Delhicourt on Thursday (September 24, 2026) permitted a U.S. national and six Ukrainian nationals, held by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a terror case, to travel to their respective countries for one month.
Special Judge Prashant Sharma of the Rouse Avenue Court permitted U.S. national Matthew Aaron van Dyke to travel to his country while Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovsky, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim alias Maksym, and Kaminskyi Viktor were allowed to travel to Ukraine.
The accused had sought permission to leave India to meet their families, stating that they had not seen them for nearly 10 months. While they had requested permission to remain abroad for six weeks, the court restricted the period to one month, to be calculated from the date of their departure.
The NIA arrested the accused in March and alleged that they had entered India on tourist visas and travelled to the northeastern region without obtaining the required permits. The agency further claimed that they subsequently crossed from Mizoram into Myanmar, where they received training from ethnic armed organisations.
The NIA had initially invoked provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), including those relating to criminal conspiracy. The agency also alleged that the accused had made disclosures concerning the network and were involved in assembling equipment and planning an attack targeting a passenger aircraft in Myanmar.
However, the chargesheet filed by the agency earlier this month did not retain the UAPA provisions. Instead, the accused were charged under Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, offences that are compoundable before the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).
The NIA had previously indicated that its investigation into the alleged terror-related aspects of the case was still under way and that additional allegations could be brought through a supplementary chargesheet.
During the hearing on the accused’s request to travel abroad, the NIA did not elaborate on whether their physical presence in India would be required in the immediate future for the investigation.
The court, however, directed the accused to assist the investigation whenever required by the NIA, either by appearing physically or through video conferencing. They were asked to furnish their addresses and phone numbers. The accused have been directed to return to India after one month and inform the court of their return within 72 hours. Their passports were ordered to be released in accordance with the applicable rules.
Published – September 25, 2026 02:48 am IST
