According to the government, eight former Indian Navy members who had been imprisoned on suspicion of espionage have been released by Qatar, marking a significant diplomatic victory for India. After serving an 18-month term, seven of them have already left and returned to India.
“The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
Following a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar during the COP28 conference in Dubai, the sentence for the ex-Navy personnel who were on death row was lowered.
After being apprehended in August 2022, they were given a death sentence on October 26, 2023. There, the former Navy personnel were employed by a Doha-based private company called Al Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services.
Here’s a timeline of major events in the case:
August 2022: The Indian nationals from Doha who worked for the private enterprise Al Dahra were detained by Qatar’s intelligence service on suspicion of spying. Neither Qatar nor India brought any formal charges against them.
October 2022: The Qatari authorities accused them of spying on a submarine, and they were jailed in the same month.
March 2023: In accordance with Qatari legislation, the navy veterans’ trial started. Against them, charges were brought.
October 2023: Qatar’s Court of First Instance sentenced the eight men to death. The central government, expressing “deep shock,” affirmed that it would provide all consular and legal assistance and explore all possible options to rescue the veterans.
November 2023: Appealing the death sentence to a higher court in Qatar was the Indian government’s move.
December 2023: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai on December 1. It is believed that this interaction may have prompted a change of position among the Qatari authorities on the death sentence case.
February 12, 2024: Doha released all eight Indian Navy veterans, seven of whom went back to their home country.
Who are the eight ex-Navy veteran?
The eight individuals, who worked at Al Dahra Global Technologies in Doha, were given jail sentences ranging from three to 25 years after the Court of Appeal in Qatar modified the death sentences that had been handed down in October of last year. The decision was made on December 28 of that same year.
The armed forces and security agencies in Qatar received training and other services from the private company Al Dahra Global Technologies, located in Doha.
The veterans, who included sailor Ragesh, commanders Purnendu Tiwari, Amit Nagpal, SK Gupta, BK Verma, and Sugunakar Pakala, as well as captains Navtej Gill and Saurabh Vasisht, were taken into custody in August 2022 on unspecified accusations.
Captain Navtej Gill, one of the eight veterans, received the President’s Gold Medal for distinction upon graduating from the Naval Academy and went on to work as an instructor.
India’s efforts to bring the soldier’s back
Earlier, India had expressed its “deep shock” at the death sentence handed down by the Court of First Instance in Qatar and promised to explore all available legal avenues to assist the eight men, including honorary officers who oversaw front-line warships in the Indian Navy.
India had filed a petition against the death penalty with the Court of Appeal in Qatar. The death sentences were commuted and they were given prison sentences by the Court of Appeal in Qatar on December 28.
The MEA had promised to mobilize all diplomatic channels and offer legal aid to send the anxious relatives of the Navy veterans back to their motherland, amid their desperate requests for their release and safe return.
Since the ruling by the Qatari court was rendered just weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, during the COP28 Summit in Dubai, it is also regarded as a significant diplomatic victory for India. Following their meeting on December 1, Modi stated that they had talked about the state of the Indian community in Qatar.
According to the external affairs ministry, the eight former Indian Navy soldiers were given sixty days in January by the Court of Appeal to file an appeal against the different prison sentences that were imposed on them after their death sentences were commuted.
Indian govt accepts Qatar Court’s decision
“The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar,” the Union government said in an official statement on February 12th, applauding the move to liberate the seasoned executives. Of the eight, seven have gone back to India. We are grateful that the Amir of the State of Qatar made the decision to allow these citizens to be released and return home.
Qatar-Freed Indian Navy Veterans Praise PM Modi’s Personal Intervention on Homecoming
After being released from a Qatari court after months of incarceration in the Gulf nation, former Indian Navy men landed at the Delhi airport on Monday morning to cheers of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and to express gratitude for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal intervention in their cause.
The release of the Indian nationals who were being held in Qatar was declared early on Monday morning by the Ministry of External Affairs.
“The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals,” the statement said.
The men- Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh- were detained in August 2022.
Former Foreign Secy Kanwal Sibal speaks exclusively to NewsX
In an exclusive interview with NewsX, former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal shared insights on the recent return of ex-Indian Navy personnel freed by Qatar. During the conversation, Sibal highlighted the significance of Prime Minister Modi’s personal intervention, which garnered praise from the returning veterans. Sibal emphasized the diplomatic nuances at play, commending the government’s efforts in securing the release and underscoring the importance of such high-level engagement in resolving international matters. The discussion shed light on the broader implications of the incident and the role of strategic diplomatic initiatives in ensuring the well-being of Indian nationals abroad.
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