Qatar sentences 8 former Indian sailors to death
Qatar sentences 8 former Indian sailors to death Government of India said – We are surprised by the decision, looking for legal ways to free them A court in Qatar has sentenced 8 former Indian marines to death They have been imprisoned in different jails of Qatar for a year According to the report of news agency PTI, the Indian government has expressed surprise on this Legal avenues are being explored to free them. The Foreign Ministry has issued a statement saying that we are waiting for the details of the judgment. Qatar government has not made public the allegations against 8 Indians The names of 8 former naval officers who have been given death sentence in Qatar are – Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vashishtha, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugnakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh Qatar sentences 8 former Indian sailors to death The family and the government were not aware of the arrest for a month The State Security Bureau of Qatar’s Intelligence Agency had arrested 8 former officers of the Indian Navy on 30 August 2022. However, the Indian Embassy was first informed about his arrest in mid-September On September 30, these Indians were allowed to talk to their family members on telephone for a short time. Consular access was granted for the first time on 3 October, a month after his arrest. During this time an official of the Indian Embassy was allowed to meet him After this these people were allowed to call family members every week. Second consular access granted in December.
Worked for a company that trained naval personnel of Qatar
8 former naval personnel of India worked in a private company named Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy in Qatar. This company provides defense services. Retired Squadron Leader Khamis Al Ajami of Oman Air Force is its chief.
He was also arrested along with 8 Indian nationals, but was released in November. This company provides training and other services to the Qatar Navy i.e. QENF. The company describes itself as an expert in operating defense equipment and their repair and maintenance.
Complete information about senior officers of the company and their posts is given on this website. However, the website of Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy is closed after the arrest of 8 Indians.
The name of the company in the new website is Dahra Global. It does not show any connection of QENF to the company, nor is there any mention of former Navy officers who were in leadership roles in the company. Qatar sentences 8 former Indian sailors to death
Jailed Commander Purnendu has received Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in Qatar
Retired Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Managing Director, Dahara Company, received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award in the year 2019 for his services in advancing bilateral relations between India and Qatar.
He is the only person from the Armed Forces to receive this award. At that time, the then Indian Ambassador to Doha P Kumaran and the former chief of Qatar Defense Forces International Military Corporation had also welcomed Purnendu. Qatar sentences 8 former Indian sailors to death
Fear of being found guilty of espionage
The Qatar government has not yet made public the allegations against 8 Indians. However, due to being sent to solitary confinement, there is talk that he has been arrested in connection with a security related crime.
Local media reports claimed that former Indian Navy officers were spying on their country for Israel. However, no facts have been presented in this either.
When asked what allegations were made against him, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said in his weekly briefing in January this year that this question should be asked by the Qatari authorities.
