The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has approached a special court in Delhi seeking permission to collect specimen voice samples of seven arrested foreign nationals, including a United States citizen and six Ukrainian nationals, in connection with an alleged Myanmar training module case being probed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The application was filed before Special NIA Judge Prashant Sharma at the Patiala House Courts under Section 349 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The agency has requested permission to obtain the voice samples with the assistance of experts from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory for forensic analysis of electronic evidence seized during the investigation.
According to the NIA, the case was registered on March 13, 2026, under Section 18 of the UAPA following directions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Investigators have alleged that a group of foreign nationals entered India on tourist visas, travelled to Mizoram and later crossed into Myanmar without the necessary permits.
The agency claims that the accused subsequently imparted training in drone warfare, drone operations, drone assembly and jamming technology to ethnic armed groups engaged in conflict with Myanmar’s military regime. The court has issued notices on the NIA’s application, and counsel for the accused accepted the notices and informed the court that replies would be filed during the next hearing, which has been scheduled for July 2.
The development comes amid the NIA’s plea seeking an extension of the statutory investigation period from 90 days to 180 days under the UAPA. The agency has argued that the case involves a deep-rooted criminal conspiracy with both pan-India and transnational dimensions.
Those arrested in the case include US national Matthew Aaron Van Dyke and six Ukrainian citizens — Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim and Kaminskyi Viktor. The NIA informed the court that the probe is at a critical stage, with multiple electronic devices undergoing forensic examination while investigators analyse financial transactions, trace funding channels and attempt to unravel the wider conspiracy.
The agency has further contended that releasing the accused at this stage could adversely affect the investigation, alleging that they may abscond or attempt to influence witnesses. Special Public Prosecutors Rahul Tyagi and Amit Rohila appeared on behalf of the NIA, while Advocate Nitin Saluja represented the Ukrainian nationals. Advocates Rohit Dandriyal and Rohit Gour appeared for Van Dyke.
The seven accused remain in judicial custody as the investigation continues. The NIA has maintained that the alleged training of ethnic armed groups in drone-related military technologies raises serious concerns linked to India’s national security.
