In a significant setback to India’s ongoing efforts to secure the release of eight former personnel of the Indian Navy, a Qatari court handed them the death sentence, drawing a strong reaction from India. The ruling by Qatar government has been described as “deeply shocking,” prompting the Indian government to explore all available legal avenues.
The eight Indian nationals, all of whom were employees of Qatar’s Doha-based Dahra Global, were taken into custody in August 2022. While the exact nature of the charges against them has not been disclosed by Qatari authorities, it has been alleged that they were detained on suspicion of espionage. Reportedly, these individuals were working in their private capacity with Dahra Global and were involved in overseeing the induction of Italian small stealth submarines U2I2.
The detained Indian nationals have been identified as Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, and Sailor Ragesh, all of whom are former Indian Navy personnel now employed by Qatar’s Dahra Global.
MEA’s response:
In response to the court’s verdict, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement expressing its deep concern over the ruling. The MEA stated, “We are deeply shocked by the verdict of the 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.” The ministry reiterated its commitment to providing consular and legal assistance to the Indian nationals and pledged to take up the verdict with Qatari authorities.
Pertinently, given the confidential nature of the case proceedings, the MEA refrained from making further comments at this stage.
As the news spreads, the Opposition Congress in India has called upon the government to act swiftly to secure the release of the eight men detained in Qatar. Jairam Ramesh, Congress MP and General Secretary in-charge of communications, expressed the party’s anguish and shock, stating, “It hopes and expects that the Govt of India will use its diplomatic and political leverage with the Qatar government to the maximum to ensure that the officers have full recourse to appeals and also do the utmost to get them released at the earliest.”
The former Navy personnel, following their arrest last year, received some relief when Qatari authorities moved them out of solitary confinement and placed them in a double-bed occupancy in a jail ward along with their colleagues. However, the exact reasons for their arrest have never been officially disclosed by Qatari authorities.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar, had previously referred to the case as “sensitive” and emphasized its priority for the Indian government.
