# Legal proceedings against US national Matthew Van Dyke

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/legal-proceedings-against-us-national-matthew-van-dyke
> Updated: 2026-09-24T17:52:34.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 3.

Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, a US national, was arrested in March 2026 alongside six Ukrainian nationals following allegations of illegal entry into Myanmar and providing drone-warfare training to ethnic armed groups.

In September 2026, Van Dyke’s legal team sought default bail in a Delhi court, arguing that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had failed to include charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in its latest chargesheet. While the NIA had filed charges under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, the agency maintained that its investigation into terror conspiracy was ongoing. 

On September 22, 2026, a special NIA court in Delhi modified Van Dyke’s bail conditions and granted default bail to the six Ukrainian nationals—Hurba Petro, Taras Slyviak, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Marian Stefankiv, Maksym Honcharuk, and Viktor Kaminskyi—after they paid penalties to compound offences under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.

On September 24, 2026, Special NIA Judge Prashant Sharma granted the accused permission to travel to the United States and Ukraine for one month to visit their families. The court ordered the release of their passports, noting that the “right to travel abroad is an extension of a fundamental right under the Indian Constitution.” The investigation has since focused on violations of the Immigration and Foreigners Act regarding illegal entry and visa overstaying, as terrorism-related allegations were dropped in the initial chargesheet due to a lack of direct evidence affecting Indian sovereignty.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-24: Matthew VanDyke and six Ukrainians granted bail in India

A special NIA court in India has granted default bail to US national Matthew VanDyke and six Ukrainians accused in a Myanmar-linked drone training camp case, allowing them one month of travel to their home's.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/matthew-vandyke-and-six-ukrainians-granted-bail-in-india

### 2026-09-22: Delhi NIA court grants bail in Myanmar training camp case

A Delhi NIA court granted default bail to six Ukrainians and modified bail terms for US national Matthew VanDyke in a case involving alleged drone warfare training in Myanmar.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-national-matthew-vandyke-seeks-travel-permission-in-myanmar-training-camp-case

### 2026-09-17: Matthew Aaron Van Dyke seeks bail as NIA continues terror probe

A Delhi court has sought a response from the NIA regarding a bail plea by US national Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, who was arrested in connection with alleged drone-warfare training for ethnic armed groups.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/matthew-aaron-van-dyke-seeks-bail-as-nia-continues-terror-probe

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Cite as: Legal proceedings against US national Matthew Van Dyke. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/legal-proceedings-against-us-national-matthew-van-dyke