The National Investigation Agency has arrested seven foreign citizens on charges of conspiring to carry out terrorist activities against India, ThePrint reported on Monday.
While six of them are Ukrainians, one is from the United States, The Indian Express reported. They were arrested last week under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
They were reportedly arrested in Delhi, Kolkata and Lucknow while trying to leave India.
The persons accused in the matter had entered India on valid visas, but had travelled to Mizoram without the mandatory restricted area permit, The Indian Express quoted an unidentified official as saying. They allegedly crossed into Myanmar and “reportedly met ethnic groups hostile to India”.
In Mizoram, the persons had received deliveries of drones from Europe, ThePrint quoted unidentified officials as having alleged.
The accused persons were produced before a magistrate on Saturday, who remanded them to three days’ custody. The custody period was on Monday extended by 11 days till March 27, according to The Indian Express.
Ukraine has lodged an official protest with India against the arrests of its citizens, and has demanded that they be released immediately, the newspaper reported.
The Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine described the allegations as unfounded and said: “…As of now, there are no established facts proving the involvement of the said Ukrainian citizens in unlawful activities on the territory of India or Myanmar.”
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