A Special NIA Court in New Delhi ruled on 20 June 2026 that the National Investigation Agency may take an additional 45 days—beyond the standard 90-day limit—to complete its Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act investigation into three Bangladeshi nationals accused of entering India illegally via Meghalaya and plotting political violence. The trio, arrested in March, are linked to the December 2025 assassination of Bangladeshi activist Sharif Osman Bin Hadi. During earlier custodial interrogations, investigators purportedly recovered mobile-phone chats suggesting plans to recruit operatives inside India’s border districts. The court accepted prosecutors’ argument that fresh digital evidence received on 8 June requires forensic analysis and cross-examination of the accused. Under India’s strict anti-terror law, courts can authorise up to 180 days for completing charge-sheets if investigators show “complexity and international ramifications.”
![Court grants NIA 45-day extension to probe illegal Bangladeshi entrants under UAPA]()
For individuals or firms navigating these tightened immigration controls, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) provides real-time guidance on selecting the correct visa class, compiling documentation, and tracking approvals—services that can mitigate delays or inadvertent non-compliance when security-linked scrutiny intensifies.
Defence counsel opposed the extension, citing prolonged pre-trial detention, but the judge remanded the men to judicial custody until 23 June, after which regular remand hearings will resume. The order underscores New Delhi’s sharpened stance on cross-border infiltration and has immediate mobility implications: companies posting staff to the North-East should expect heightened immigration checks, while Bangladeshi business travellers may face additional scrutiny until the probe concludes. Mobility advisers should reiterate to employees that overstaying or entering on incorrect visa categories can attract UAPA provisions if linked—however tangentially—to security concerns; due-diligence on third-party contractors in border states is advisable.
For individuals or firms navigating these tightened immigration controls, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) provides real-time guidance on selecting the correct visa class, compiling documentation, and tracking approvals—services that can mitigate delays or inadvertent non-compliance when security-linked scrutiny intensifies.
Defence counsel opposed the extension, citing prolonged pre-trial detention, but the judge remanded the men to judicial custody until 23 June, after which regular remand hearings will resume. The order underscores New Delhi’s sharpened stance on cross-border infiltration and has immediate mobility implications: companies posting staff to the North-East should expect heightened immigration checks, while Bangladeshi business travellers may face additional scrutiny until the probe concludes. Mobility advisers should reiterate to employees that overstaying or entering on incorrect visa categories can attract UAPA provisions if linked—however tangentially—to security concerns; due-diligence on third-party contractors in border states is advisable.
