NEW DELHI: A Special NIA Court in New Delhi extended the remand of 7 accused persons, namely Matthew Aaron Van Dyke (US citizen), Hurba Petro (Ukranian citizen), Slyviak Taras (Ukranian Citizen), Ivan Sukmanovskyi (Ukrainian citizen), Stefankiv Marian (Ukranian Citizen), Honcharuk Maksim (Ukranian Citizen), and Kaminskyi Viktor (Ukrainian citizen), for 10 days in NIA Custody.
Accused persons were produced before the Special NIA Judge at NIA headquarters. Probe Agency had sought a further 10 days’ custody to investigate the case. Legal Aid Defence counsel (LADC) appeared for some of the Accused persons.
They have been arrested for allegedly supporting ethnic war groups in Myanmar by supplying weapons, terrorist hardware and training them. They have been arrested in a case lodged under Section 18 (Terror Conspiracy) and BNS.
Special NIA judge Prashant Sharma extended the custody of all 7 accused for 10 days. NIA had sought 10 days further custody.
The hearing was conducted at the NIA headquarters at the agency’s request due to security concerns.
The NIA submitted that further custody of the accused persons is required for investigation.
NIA submitted that during the investigation, the names of some Indians and Foreigners suspected to be involved have surfaced.
Earlier, while seeking remand, it was alleged by the NIA that the accused persons, during custody, would also show that they were in direct touch and abetted in their terrorist/ illegal activities by unknown terrorists carrying AK-47 rifles.
NIA has alleged that the accused persons, linked with ethnic armed groups, are supporting certain proscribed Indian insurgent groups by supplying weapons, terrorist hardware and training them. These aspects definitely affect national security and India’s interests.
While granting 11 days remand, the court had said, ” So, it is not the situation that FIR does not make a whisper about illegal acts, being done by accused persons against national security and the interests of India. In other words, Section 18 of UA(P)A broadly attracts.
NIA arrested 3 Ukrainian were arrested from Delhi, 3 from Lucknow and one US citizen from Kolkata.
Special public prosecutor (SPP) Atul Tyagi, along with Amit Rohila and others, had appeared for the NIA.
It is alleged that they entered India on a visa and then entered Mizoram, a protected area. Thereafter, they entered Myanmar and contacted ethnic war groups.
It is alleged by the NIA that they were trained in Myanmar and were training ethnic war groups. These groups are associated with insurgent groups in India. It is also alleged that they brought a huge consignment of Drones from Europe via India.
Legal Aid Defence counsel (LADC) Piyush Sachdeva appeared for some of the accused persons. (With inputs from ANI)
