The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charged seven foreign nationals, including US citizen Matthew VanDyke and six Ukrainians, under Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act for alleged illegal entry and visa violations. The chargesheet, filed in Delhi's Special NIA Court, does not include sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), despite initial charges under the Act in the FIR. The NIA arrested the accused on March 13 and charged them under UAPA in the FIR, but the chargesheet filed on Tuesday only includes provisions under the Immigration Act.

The NIA alleges that the accused entered India on valid travel documents in December 2025 but later traveled to Guwahati and Mizoram without obtaining the mandatory Protected Area Permit (PAP) or Restricted Area Permit (RAP). They allegedly crossed into Myanmar through the Tiau river route to conduct pre-scheduled training for Ethnic Armed Groups in drone warfare. The agency claims the accused returned to India from Myanmar around March 5, 2026. The charge sheet also mentions the seizure of digital devices and drones, which the NIA says may indicate involvement in acts affecting India's security.

NIA special public prosecutor Rahul Tyagi stated that the probe has been kept open in all other aspects, including UAPA charges. The agency requested additional time to complete its investigation, citing the need to verify the true facts about the commission of offences under UAPA. VanDyke's legal representative, Advocate Rohit Dandriyal, claimed the NIA was investigating fake terror charges, stating that no evidence was found against the accused even after an extended investigation period.

VanDyke, according to his website, is from Baltimore and has worked as a soldier, international businessman, war correspondent, and founder of a military contracting firm — SOLI (Sons of Liberty International). The NIA alleges that some of the Myanmar-based Ethnic Armed Groups have links with insurgent organisations in India. The agency also mentioned that six taxis were hired through a car rental company to transport the accused from Guwahati into Mizoram’s Protected Area, with two individuals allegedly arranging the logistics for the border crossing.

No official response was provided by the NIA or the accused regarding the charges. The case continues under investigation, with the NIA seeking further time to complete its probe into alleged conspiracy involving Indian insurgent groups in the northeastern states.