MEA says deeply shocked, will explore legal options, take up verdict with Qatari authorities. One of the convicted men, Cdr Purnendu Tiwari (retd) received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2019 for “working to improve India-Qatar ties”.
New Delhi: India has expressed shock over a Qatar court awarding death penalty to eight former Indian Navy personnel, including seven retired officers, a special report by Sandeep Dikshit in The Tribune. Chandigarh, says..
A statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs says “We are deeply shocked by the verdict of death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgment. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options.
“We attach high importance to this case, and have been following it closely. We will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also take up the verdict with the Qatari authorities,” the MEA statement added.
The eight men were arrested by the Qatari State Security Bureau sometime in mid-September of last year and the first public knowledge about their arrest filtered out after they spoke to their families on September 30 last year.
The names of the eight men are as follows: Capt Navtej Singh Gill (retd), Capt Birendra Kumar Verma (retd), Capt Saurabh Vasisht (retd), Cdr Amit Nagpal (retd), Cdr Purnendu Tiwari (retd), Cdr Sugunakar Pakala (retd), Cdr Sanjeev Gupta (retd) and Sailor Ragesh (retd)
Since 2018 onwards, all the eight convicted men were working for a private company, Al Dahra Global Technologies, owned by two ex-servicemen of Qatar armed forces. This was shortly after the renewal of the India-Qatar Defence Cooperation Agreement for five more years.
Dahra Global Technologies provided training and other services to Qatar’s armed forces and security agencies.
A ray of hope
A ray of hope for the 8 veterans is a 2015 pact between India & Qatar, in case their death sentence is commuted to imprisonment
Under it, Indian nationals sentenced in Qatar can be sent to their home country to serve the remaining part of their term. Qatari citizens convicted in India too can be sent to their home country to serve their sentence
The agreement was signed to facilitate social rehabilitation of the sentenced people
Convicted of ‘spying for israel’
- Between 2018-20: Eight naval retired personnel start working on a sensitive project for the Qatar Navy
- On Aug 30, 2022: All eight along with owner of company Al Dahra Global Technologies arrested
- On Nov 2022: Al Dahra owner, a retired Sqn Leader, released
- On March 29, 2023: Trial begins, all 8 put in solitary confinement hinting at security-related issue
- Sept 30: All allowed ‘brief telephonic contact’ with family
- Oct 26: All eight sentenced to death; media reports say charged with spying for Israel on Qatar’s stealth submarines
Charges were also framed against two Qataris, including former Oman Air Force officer Khamis al-Ajmi, who was also the CEO of Dahra Global. Qatar’s then Head of International Military Operations Major Gen Tariq Khalid Al Obaidly was the other Qatari national to be interrogated.
Sources said Dahra Global Technologies had employed a large number of former Indian Navy personnel. After the controversy broke out, the rest were offered a severance package and told not to come for work from May 31 earlier this year.
The MEA said it was making “all efforts to assist these Indians” even as it declined to give further details, saying that “due to the confidential nature of proceedings of this case
One of the convicted, Cdr Purnendu Tiwari (retd) received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2019 for “working to improve India-Qatar ties”.
The sister of one convicted former naval officers, Meetu Bhargava, had in May said the government was helping “but not enough as even their deportation to India after nine months has not happened”.
“These ex-Navy officers are the pride of the nation and again I request our Prime Minister with folded hands that it is high time that they all be brought back to India immediately,” she had said in another post on X.
At eight lakhs, Indians are the largest expatriate community in Qatar. India also has strong trade ties with Qatar mainly in the area of sourcing natural gas.
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