Six Ukrainian nationals arrested by the National Investigation Agency in the Myanmar training camp case were granted default bail by a Delhi court on Wednesday after spending more than six months in custody. The order comes days after US national Matthew Aaron VanDyke secured similar relief, with the NIA’s chargesheet against the seven foreigners not invoking UAPA provisions.
Special NIA Judge Prashant Sharma of Rouse Avenue Court granted default bail to the six Ukrainian nationals on a cash bond of Rs 1 lakh each. The latest order follows the court’s September 18 decision granting default bail to VanDyke. He was arrested by the NIA on March 13 and had spent more than 180 days in custody.
VanDyke wants to travel to US to meet family
VanDyke has also asked the court for permission to travel to the United States to meet his family.
What is the Myanmar training camp case?
The case concerns allegations that the foreign nationals travelled through Mizoram and crossed into Myanmar, where they allegedly provided drone warfare training to ethnic armed groups. The allegations remain under investigation and have not been proved in court. The NIA’s first chargesheet, however, did not invoke UAPA provisions against the seven accused.
Because the investigation was not completed within the prescribed period, notably, the court’s decision grants the accused statutory default bail.
Special Judge Prashant Sharma said, “In the wake of further investigation being carried out by NIA with respect of offences under UAPA, at this stage it cannot be concluded that accused Matthew Aaron Vandyke is not entitled to default bail. The agency told the court that further investigation into the alleged UAPA offences was continuing.
