Special Court Extends NIA Probe: Unearthing a Trans-National Conspiracy

A Special Court in Patiala House has granted the NIA 90 more days to investigate a UAPA case involving six Ukrainians and a US national. The court also extended their judicial custody for 30 days amidst allegations of illegal entry into Myanmar to train an ethnic war group.

On Thursday, the Special Court at Patiala House granted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) an additional 90 days to conclude its investigation into the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case involving six Ukrainians and an American national. Concurrently, the court extended the judicial custody of these individuals by 30 days until July 3. These foreigners allegedly entered India on tourist visas, later traveling to Mizoram without the necessary permits before illegally crossing into Myanmar to conduct training for the Myanmar-based Ethnic War Group (EWG).

The NIA has requested more time, citing the complexity of a criminal conspiracy with national and trans-national ramifications. The agency argued that the established 90-day investigation period was inadequate given the scale of the case, which should allow for an extension of up to 180 days under the UAPA framework. Presiding over the case, Special Judge Prashant Sharma allowed the extension, underscoring the ongoing nature of the investigation and the extensive analysis still required.

The defense opposed the extension, asserting that both the judicial custody and default bail applications should be reviewed during the next hearing on June 10, marking the 90th day since the arrests. Despite the resistance, the court ruled in favor of the NIA. The prosecution, led by Special Public Prosecutor Rahul Tyagi, emphasized the necessity of additional time due to the complexity and depth of the conspiracy, which spans across multiple international territories. The investigation remains critical, with several digital devices and financial accounts yet to be thoroughly examined.