A Delhi court on Friday (September 18, 2026) granted default bail to U.S. national Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, arrested in a terror-conspiracy case being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The court directed that he shall not leave Delhi. Special Judge Prashant Sharma granted bail to Van Dyke on a personal bond of ₹1 lakh and a surety in the like amount, according to court sources. The NIA chargesheet accused the seven of offences under sections 21 (prescribing the penalty for entry into India without a valid passport or other travel documents) and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, and said, “More time is required to ascertain and verify the true and complete facts about the commission of offences under the UAPA.
The NIA had told the court that the accused are being probed for a wide-ranging terror conspiracy, including assistance to ethnic armed groups in India and Myanmar, and imparting drone training to them.
Earlier this month, the agency filed a chargesheet against Van Dyke and six Ukrainian citizens for alleged illegal entry, stay and movement in India, but did not invoke the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The court issued a notice to the NIA on Thursday on Van Dyke’s bail plea.
