Court allows NIA to shift foreign mercenary case hearings to headquarters

A Delhi court has permitted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to conduct proceedings in a high-profile case involving alleged foreign mercenaries at its headquarters, citing security concerns.

The decision was taken by the Patiala House Court on Friday after the agency sought to move hearings away from the court premises. All future proceedings will now take place at the NIA headquarters, with the accused to be produced before the designated judge there.

The case involves seven foreign nationals — six from Ukraine and one from the United States, identified as Matthew Aaron VanDyke — who have been accused of providing terror training in Myanmar.

The accused were due to be presented before the court following the end of their 11-day custody. However, the NIA filed an application requesting that subsequent hearings be held at its headquarters, describing the case as “extremely sensitive” with potential national and international implications.

According to the agency, the individuals had entered India on tourist visas before travelling to Mizoram and allegedly crossing into Myanmar without authorisation. Investigators claim they were in contact with ethnic armed groups operating there and had conducted training sessions involving weapons handling and drone operations.

The NIA has also alleged that the group facilitated the procurement and movement of drones and electronic jamming equipment from Europe for use in training activities across the border.

VanDyke was arrested in Kolkata, while three of the Ukrainian nationals were apprehended in Delhi and the remaining three in Lucknow.

Officials said the case is part of a broader investigation into an alleged transnational network of foreign mercenaries active in India’s north-eastern region. The probe is examining possible links with local facilitators as well as efforts to use the region as a corridor for cross-border militant operations.

Authorities believe the group may have been active since 2024, and investigations are ongoing to identify the full extent of the network and its international connections.

The NIA said it is continuing to work with multiple domestic and foreign agencies as it seeks to uncover all aspects of the alleged conspiracy.

With IANS inputs