US mercenary alleges India arrest due to Russian plot, says details coming soon

The remarks by Matthew VanDyke, who is accused of providing weapons and drone-warfare training to ethnic armed groups in Myanmar, came just weeks after he returned to India to attend a court hearing following which he was allowed to travel to the US again.US mercenary Matthew VanDyke walked out of Tihar Jail in September. New Delhi,Nov 10, 2026 07:59 ISTAmerican mercenary Matthew VanDyke, who was released from Tihar Jail in September, has claimed that his arrest along with six Ukrainian nationals was linked to Russia's continued war against Kyiv. He also hinted at a series of revelations about the case, saying he would share what he called "shocking details" over the next few months.The remarks by VanDyke, who is accused of providing weapons and drone-warfare training to ethnic armed groups in Myanmar, came just weeks after he returned to India to attend a court hearing following which he was allowed to travel to the US again."India threw me and several Ukrainians in prison for over six months. This was part of Russia's war against Ukraine," the mercenary tweeted on Monday night."I will reveal shocking details about this story over the next few months in both posts and media interviews," he added. VanDyke was released from Tihar Jail on September 24 and was allowed to travel home for a month after securing default bail. On October 23, the Rouse Avenue court allowed the mercenary and the six Ukrainian nationals to remain outside India until their next hearing on February 24, 2027.VANDYKE RESPONDS TO CRITICISM, SAYS HE'LL RETURN TO INDIAResponding to criticism and questions on his post, VanDyke questioned the suggestion that the US government had pressured India to secure his release. When a user claimed that Washington had intervened on his behalf, he asked why they believed he had been freed because of US government pressure.He also rejected another social media user's question about smuggling arms into India, saying the Indian government had never accused him of doing so.Amid warnings from users against returning to India, VanDyke said he would be back in the country in February to attend court proceedings, just as he had returned in October.He also said he had not personally sought permission to leave India and that the decision was taken by his lawyers.Responding to another user who suggested he would be a fugitive if he failed to return after his visit to the US, VanDyke reiterated that he had appeared before the court on October 23 and would return for the next hearing in February.He added that his return would not be for the reasons the user appeared to believe.WHY WAS VANDYKE ARRESTED?The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested VanDyke and the Ukrainians on March 13 over allegations that they travelled to Myanmar to train ethnic armed groups.VanDyke was arrested at Kolkata airport, while the others were picked up at airports in Delhi and Lucknow.The agency alleged that the group travelled to Mizoram without the required permits before crossing into Myanmar, where they provided training in weapons handling and drone warfare.The NIA had also told the court that it was investigating allegations that the group was involved in a drone attack on a civilian aircraft in Myanmar. The specific incident being investigated was not immediately clear.HOW DID HE SECURE BAIL?On September 18, the Rouse Avenue court granted VanDyke default bail on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and a surety of the same amount.The relief came after the NIA failed to file a chargesheet invoking the relevant offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) within the legally prescribed period.The court directed VanDyke to remain in Delhi after his release and appear before the NIA whenever summoned for questioning. He subsequently sought permission to travel to the US to meet his family.The court later allowed him and the six Ukrainian nationals to travel to their respective countries for a month.The Ukrainians were granted bail on personal bonds and cash deposits of Rs 1 lakh each. They were also discharged under certain provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act after the Foreigners Regional Registration Office compounded the alleged violations, imposing a fine of Rs 5.5 lakh on each of them.- Ends