NIA Court Releases American Mercenary Matthew VanDyke, Allows Month-Long US Visit
American national Matthew Aaron VanDyke, who identifies as a mercenary, has been released from Delhi's Tihar Jail after nearly six months in custody. A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has permitted him and six Ukrainian nationals arrested alongside him to travel to the United States for one month to meet family, with the NIA investigation remaining open.
VanDyke and the Ukrainians were initially arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on suspicion of counter-terrorism offences. The NIA alleged they entered India on valid travel documents but travelled to the northeast without required permits and crossed into Myanmar via Mizoram, where they reportedly conducted training sessions for armed ethnic groups in drone warfare and related technologies.
However, when filing its chargesheet, the NIA dropped the serious terror charges, citing insufficient evidence that the group's activities directly threatened India's security. The final charges under the Immigration and Foreigners Act relate only to illegal entry and visa violations. The case highlights earlier instances where foreign nationals facing serious proceedings were permitted to leave India and never returned.
