Goa, Sept. 8 -- In a significant turn in the case involving American mercenary Matthew Aaron VanDyke and six Ukrainian nationals, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has dropped charges under India's anti-terror law in its chargesheet filed in the matter.

VanDyke and the six Ukrainian nationals were arrested in March after Indian agencies carried out a secret operation at various airports. The group had initially been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) over allegations that they were involved in training anti-India ethnic armed groups in Myanmar.

However, the chargesheet filed by the NIA seven months after their arrests does not invoke the UAPA. Instead, the agency has charged VanDyke and the othe...