- Seven foreign nationals, including one American, are in NIA custody in Delhi
- The accused are suspected of training ethnic armed groups in drone warfare
- NIA suspects drone consignments were routed from Europe to Myanmar via India
Seven foreign nationals including an American are in NIA custody after a Delhi court granted the anti-terror agency 11 days to investigate an alleged conspiracy to train ethnic armed groups in drone warfare. The six others are Ukrainian nationals.
The accused were produced before Delhi's Patiala House Court today. The NIA had sought 15 days, while the court granted 11. They will be produced again on March 27.
The American national, Matthew VanDyke, was arrested from Kolkata. Three Ukrainians were picked up from Lucknow, and three others from Delhi. They have been identified as Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim, and Kaminskyi Viktor.
Investigators said at least 14 Ukrainian nationals had entered India on tourist visas before travelling to Guwahati, then Mizoram, and crossing into Myanmar without the required papers.
The NIA suspects the group was in India to conduct pre-scheduled drone warfare training for ethnic armed groups, outfits the agency believes are linked to insurgent and terrorist organisations operating inside India.
Large consignments of drones were also allegedly routed from Europe to Myanmar via India, intended for use by these groups.
In court, the NIA told the bench that forensic analysis of seized mobile phones and digital evidence is ongoing, and that the accused need to be taken to multiple locations as part of the probe.
The agency cited the need to map entry and exit routes, identify associates, and trace funding sources.
The court directed that the accused undergo medical examination every 48 hours. They have been allowed virtual meetings with lawyers or relatives for 20 minutes on alternate days.
