National Desk, 26th October: In a shocking development, a court in Qatar has sentenced eight former officers of the Indian Navy to death on charges that have not been made public. The verdict has stirred concern and is raising questions about the nature of the charges against the Navy veterans.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed its deep shock at the death penalty verdict and disclosed that it was actively exploring legal options. According to the MEA, the Court of First Instance of Qatar issued this judgment concerning eight Indian employees of Al Dahra company, but the precise details of the charges remain undisclosed. The MEA is in touch with the family members and legal representatives of the individuals involved.
The first hearing in their trial took place on March 29, with the exact nature of the accusations against these Navy veterans shrouded in mystery. Both Qatari authorities and Indian officials who had consular access with the prisoners had not communicated the formal charges to the families. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had previously referred to their imprisonment as a “sensitive matter” when questioned about the government’s efforts to secure their release.
The eight former Navy officers, named as Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Purenendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal, and Sailor Ragesh, were employed at Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a defense services provider company owned by an Omani national. The Omani national, a retired squadron leader of the Royal Omani Air Force, was also initially arrested but was released in November.
Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services had previously stated on its now-removed website that it provided training, logistics, and maintenance services to the Qatari Emiri Naval Force. However, on its current website, the company is referred to as Dahra Global, with no mention of its previous connection to the QENF or the seven officers who held leadership roles in the company.
Commander Purnendu Tiwari (retd), the Managing Director of Dahra, was honored with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award in 2019 for his role in strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and Qatar. He remains the sole recipient from the armed forces to have received this award. The company’s website had displayed certificates from Indian ambassadors in Doha, including former Ambassador P Kumaran and the current Ambassador Deepak Mittal, commending the company’s contributions to fostering good relations between the two countries.
The arrested individuals had worked at Dahra for several years before their arrests, contributing to concerns about their sudden detention and the lack of transparency regarding the charges brought against them.
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