NIA Arrests 7 Foreign Nationals Under UAPA Over Myanmar, Drone Links
NIA arrests six Ukrainians and one US national for an alleged terror plot in India.
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Seven foreign nationals, including six Ukrainians and one United States citizen, were arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in India on charges of conspiring to carry out terrorist activities. The arrests were made following coordinated operations across multiple cities, and the accused were subsequently remanded to NIA custody for further investigation.
According to The Indian Express, the NIA registered a First Information Report (FIR) on Friday evening under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other relevant sections. The US national was detained at Kolkata airport, while three Ukrainians each were apprehended at airports in Lucknow and Delhi. The accused reportedly entered India on valid visas but proceeded to Mizoram without obtaining the required Restricted Area Permit.
As reported by Hindustan Times, the Special NIA Court at Patiala House remanded all seven accused to 11 days of NIA custody, extending their initial three-day remand. The hearing was conducted in a closed courtroom, and the NIA was represented by Special Public Prosecutor Atul Tyagi and others. The agency sought extended custody to investigate the alleged conspiracy and to analyse digital evidence.
Investigations revealed that the accused had crossed into Myanmar from Mizoram, where they allegedly met with ethnic groups hostile to India. Further details indicated that multiple consignments of drones were delivered from Europe to Mizoram, purportedly for use by ethnic armed groups. These groups are suspected of supporting proscribed Indian insurgent organisations by supplying weapons and providing training.
The NIA submitted before the court that the accused were involved in illegally importing drones and that their activities raised concerns about cross-border threats. The agency also stated that the suspects’ mobile data and social media accounts would be analysed to identify co-conspirators and funding sources as part of the ongoing investigation.
“The aspects of collection of evidence, unearthing criminal conspiracy, identification of co-accused persons and analysis of mobile data of accused persons, are such that police custody of accused persons is justified,” Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma stated in his order.
During the remand hearing, defence counsel opposed the NIA’s application for extended custody. However, the court granted the agency’s request, citing the need to unearth the full extent of the alleged conspiracy and to apprehend any unknown associates who may surface after technical analysis of the accused’s digital devices according to the proceedings.
The NIA alleged that the accused had been trained in Myanmar and were providing training to ethnic war groups associated with insurgent organisations in India. The agency also claimed that the accused facilitated the supply of weapons and terrorist hardware to these groups as the investigation progressed.
“The custody was also sought to analyse the mobile data to ascertain the alleged source of funding,” the NIA submitted to the court.
The NIA’s investigation is ongoing, with a focus on collecting further evidence, identifying additional suspects, and mapping the route and logistics used by the accused. The agency has emphasised the importance of technical analysis to uncover the broader network involved in the alleged plot as highlighted in the case.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.