US National Gets Bail After NIA Fails to File Terror Charges Within 180-Day Deadline
· World · The Hindu, Hindustan Times
A U.S. national, Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, was granted default bail by a Delhi court after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) did not file a charge sheet under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) within the mandatory 180-day probe deadline. The NIA instead filed charges under Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, which the court deemed insufficient to justify continued detention. Van Dyke, arrested in March for alleged cross-border conspiracy involving ethnic armed groups in Myanmar, was released on a personal bond and surety bond of ₹1 lakh each, with conditions including residency in Delhi and restrictions on influencing witnesses. The court ruled that the NIA could not bypass default bail provisions by filing an incomplete charge sheet. Six Ukrainian co-accused remain in judicial custody under the same case.
Why it matters
The ruling sets a legal precedent for how Indian agencies handle terror-related cases under strict timelines, potentially affecting future investigations involving foreign nationals. It also raises questions about the NIA’s investigative capabilities and the broader implications for cross-border terror probes involving Myanmar-linked groups.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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