NIA court remands 7 foreigners, including Ukrainians and US citizen, to 11-day custody

A Delhi court has remanded seven foreign nationals, including three Ukrainians and one US citizen, to 11 days of National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody in a case linked to alleged insurgent activities. The order was passed by Additional Sessions Judge Prshant Sharma following a closed-door hearing, granting custody until March 27. The agency had sought 15 days to carry forward its investigation.

According to the NIA, the accused had entered India on valid visas but later travelled to Mizoram, a protected area, without authorisation. Investigators allege that from there, the group crossed into Myanmar, where they established contact with ethnic armed groups believed to have links with insurgent organisations operating in India.

The agency has further claimed that the individuals underwent training in Myanmar and were subsequently involved in imparting training to these ethnic groups. These activities are suspected to have potential implications for internal security, given the alleged connections between these groups and insurgent networks active within Indian territory.

Additionally, the NIA has alleged that the accused were involved in bringing a large consignment of drones from Europe into the region. The case is being probed from multiple angles, including the purpose of the equipment and the extent of coordination with insurgent elements, as the agency continues its interrogation during the custodial period.