Rouse Avenue court granted default bail to 6 Ukrainian nationals on a cash bond of Rs. 1 lakh each in the Myanmar training camp case. They, along with US National Matthew Vandyke, were arrested by the NIA, which did not invoke UAPA charges.

Bail Granted in Myanmar Training Camp Case

Rouse Avenue court on Wednesday granted default bail to 6 Ukrainian nationals on a cash bond of Rs. One lakh each in the Myanmar training camp case. They and US National Matthew Aaron Vandyke were arrested by the NIA in March 2026. The NIA has already filed a charge sheet against them without invoking sections of UAPA.

Special NIA judge Prashant Sharma granted default bail to 6 Ukrainians on a cash bond of Rs. one lakh each. The Ukrainians have been discharged by the court in the offences of the Immigration and Foreigners Act based on compounding before the FRRO. The FRRO imposed a penalty of Rs. 5.5 lakh on each accused.

The court has also modified the bail condition imposed upon Matthew Aaron Vandyke, exempting him from furnishing a surety bond of Rs One lakh. He will be released on a cash bond of Rs. One lakh.

Vandyke Seeks Permission to Travel

Vandyke has moved an application seeking permission to travel to the USA to meet his family. Application of Vandyke seeking permission to travel to the USA to meet his family will be heard on September 25. Another application seeking permission to furnish a cash bond in lieu of a surety bond has been disposed of.

A report in a sealed envelope from FRRO has been recieved in the Court. The matter related to the offences of Immigration and Foreigners Act has been compounded. The court had granted him bail subject to furnishing a bail bond of Rs. One lakh and one surety bond of the same amount.

Court Details Vandyke's Default Bail

The NIA has already filed a charge sheet without invoking sections of UAPA. The agency has only invoked sections of the Immigration and Foreigners Act. A special NIA court on September 18 granted default bail to Vandyke after noting that NIA has filed an incomplete charge sheet in respect of UAPA offences. However, the accused has been charged for the offences under sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act.

Vandyke was arrested on March 13 by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for the alleged offence under UAPA. The court had noted that Vandyke was in custody for more than 180 days. However, the NIA could not file a charge sheet under UAPA against Vandyke, and further investigation is still on.

After noting all the facts and circumstances, Special Judge Prashant Sharma had granted bail to Matthew Aaron Vandyke. Special Judge 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."

NIA's Incomplete Charge-Sheet

"As such, the investigating agency cannot circumvent section 187(3) BNSS by filing an incomplete charge-sheet, for the purpose of denying default bail to accused Matthew Aaron Van Dyke," Special Judge Prashant Sharma said. The court ordered, " After considering all the facts and record of this case, accused Matthew Aaron Van Dyke is admitted to bail, on his furnishing Personal Bond/ Surety Bond in the sum of Rs. 1,00,000 each subject to the satisfaction of this court."

The accused was booked by NIA under section 18 of UAPA. He was arrested on March 13, 2026. The court had also said that as per section 43D(2) provision (1) of UAPA, investigation should have been completed within 180 days from the date of arrest of the accused, which ended on September 8, 2026.

NIA filed an incomplete charge-sheet on September 8, 2026, as it was filed with respect to Section 21 & 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. It was the stand of NIA that further investigation with respect to offences under UAPA is continuing.

The accused filed the present plea for seeking default bail, stating that in the wake of said incomplete charge-sheet, applicant/ accused is entitled to default bail, the court said. The applicant has sought default bail. It is an admitted position that NIA could not complete investigation with regard to UAPA offences within the statutory period of 180 days. Advocate Rohit Dandriyal and Rohit Gour, the Counsels for Vandyke, submitted that he is ready and willing to furnish a personal bond and a surety bond, as directed by this court. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)