New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS) A Delhi court on Friday granted default bail to US national Matthew Aaron VanDyke in a case being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) over allegations of imparting terror training to Myanmar-based ethnic armed groups.
The Special NIA Court at the Rouse Avenue Court Complex granted default bail to VanDyke on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and one surety of a like amount.
The court directed VanDyke to stay in Delhi and remain available for investigation whenever called by the Investigating Officer. VanDyke had sought default bail on the ground of delay in completion of the investigation and filing of the chargesheet in the case.
The court also observed that the six Ukrainian nationals arrested in the same case would be entitled to seek default bail on the same ground if they move appropriate bail applications.
The NIA had arrested VanDyke along with six Ukrainian nationals in March this year in connection with an alleged international network involved in imparting weapons and drone-related training to insurgent groups across the India-Myanmar border.
The accused were identified as Ukrainian nationals Petro Hurba, Taras Slyviak, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Marian Stefankiv, Maksim Honcharuk and Viktor Kaminskyi, besides VanDyke.
According to the NIA, the accused had entered India on tourist visas and travelled towards the northeastern region before allegedly crossing into Myanmar.
The anti-terror agency has claimed that they were involved in facilitating the procurement and movement of drones and electronic jamming equipment from Europe for use in training modules. The probe had revealed that the accused were part of a wider international network involving foreign nationals and Myanmar-based groups, and that the investigation was aimed at tracing the broader network, including possible local facilitators and international linkages.
Earlier, considering security concerns, the Patiala House Court had allowed the NIA’s request to conduct proceedings at its headquarters and directed that subsequent hearings be held there, with the accused to be produced before the presiding judge.
–IANS
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