A Delhi court on Thursday allowed US national Matthew Aaron VanDyke and six Ukrainian nationals, arrested earlier this year in a case investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), to travel to their home countries for a month. The permission is subject to conditions set by the court.

Special NIA Judge Prashant Sharma of the Rouse Avenue Courts allowed their applications seeking permission to travel abroad and ordered the release of their passports. VanDyke has been permitted to travel to the United States. The six Ukrainians — Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim alias Maksym and Kaminskyi Viktor — can travel to Ukraine to meet their families.

All seven had been granted default bail and were in judicial custody at Tihar Jail. The court allowed them to remain abroad for one month from the date they board their respective flights. They must return to India after the period ends and inform the court within 72 hours of their return.

The court said the right to travel abroad is an extension of a fundamental right under the Constitution of India. It also directed the seven accused to provide their residential addresses, working mobile numbers and email addresses to the NIA within 24 hours.

Those who do not have a working phone number can provide a family member’s number. They must then submit their own working number within a week of reaching their respective destinations. The accused must also join the investigation through video call or physically whenever the NIA requires them to do so.

During the hearing, the court noted that the accused had expressed their willingness to cooperate with the investigation whenever required. Special Public Prosecutor Rahul Tyagi, appearing for the NIA with advocate Amit Rohila, said the agency’s further investigation was continuing. However, their immediate presence was not required.

VanDyke was arrested at Kolkata airport on March 13 under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), which deals with conspiracy, attempt, advocacy, abetment or facilitation of a terrorist act. The six Ukrainian nationals were arrested at Delhi and Lucknow airports on the same day.

The NIA filed its charge sheet on September 8 under Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, concerning illegal entry and violations of visa conditions. The agency did not charge the seven under the UAPA, though its investigation into alleged offences under the anti-terror law continues. The court later granted default bail to all seven.

While granting VanDyke default bail last week, the court described the NIA charge sheet as “piecemeal”, noting that it covered only offences under the Immigration and Foreigners Act while the UAPA investigation remained pending. The six Ukrainians were also discharged from the immigration offences after paying a penalty of ₹5.5 lakh.

VanDyke’s lawyers had also sought his discharge from the Immigration and Foreigners Act offences after the matter was compounded on September 18. The court allowed that application.