Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 9 (ANI): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Centre after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) did not invoke provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against US national Matthew VanDyke in its chargesheet, calling it a "weak government" and alleged PM Modi of "succumbed to American pressure".
In a post on X, Owaisi questioned why the anti-terror law provisions were not included in the chargesheet against Matthew Aaron VanDyke, whose case was initially registered under the UAPA.
"Such a weak govt. Why has PM Narendra Modi succumbed to American pressure and dropped anti-terror UAPA charges in this case? The FIR still mentions UAPA, but in order to facilitate a smooth exit, no UAPA charges have been filed. Only charges under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 remain," Owaisi said.
The AIMIM chief further alleged that foreign governments could "pressure" the Modi government into dropping terror charges, while people facing what he described as "patently false charges" remained in jail for years.
"Apparently, a foreign govt can pressurise Modi into dropping terror charges. But thousands of people face patently false charges and remain in jail for years. Maybe if Stan Swamy was an American citizen, he’d still have been alive," he said.
"This is the sign of a 'dimaghi Savarkar' - servile abroad and haughty at home," Owaisi added.
Such a WEAK govt. Why has @narendramodi succumbed to American pressure and dropped anti-terror UAPA charges in this case? The FIR still mentions UAPA, but in order to facilitate a smooth exit, no UAPA charges have been filed. Only charges under Immigration and Foreigners Act,… https://t.co/j3UfoE3RLv
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) September 9, 2026
Congress MP and senior Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi also questioned the omission of UAPA provisions against VanDyke and said the "Modi government owes India an explanation" if the terror charges were dropped following "high-level India-US meetings".
"If reports are true that terror charges against US citizen Matthew VanDyke have been dropped after high-level U.S.-India meetings, the Modi Government owes India an explanation. If an individual was arrested on allegations involving illegal entry, links with armed groups and drone warfare training, how did those serious allegations suddenly disappear?" Singhvi said in a post on X.
Earlier on Tuesday, the NIA, following a 180-day investigation, did not invoke UAPA provisions in its chargesheet against VanDyke and six Ukrainian nationals.
The case was initially registered by the NIA in March 2026 under Section 18 of the UAPA, relating to terror conspiracy, along with relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The investigation stemmed from allegations that the seven accused were involved in supporting and training ethnic armed groups in Myanmar that were allegedly inimical to India's national security.
The accused include US national Matthew Aaron VanDyke and Ukrainian nationals Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim and Kaminskyi Viktor.
Meanwhile, the NIA's Special Public Prosecutor maintained that the investigation is still ongoing and said that the agency may file a supplementary chargesheet if an offence under the UAPA is ultimately made out. Special NIA Judge Prashant Sharma has listed the matter for formal consideration on October 1. (ANI)
