Who are the eight Indian Navy veterans sentenced to death by Qatar?

A court in Qatar has sentenced eight former officers of the Indian Navy to death. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday (26 October) termed the verdict as “shocking”, but refused to comment more on the case citing the “confidential nature of proceedings”.

The eight ex-officers have been in jail since last August. The first hearing in their trial began in March this year. Their bail pleas were turned down multiple times and their detention was extended by Qatari authorities.

What has the MEA said about the Qatar court’s judgement? Who are these Indian Navy veterans? What’s the case against them? We explain.

MEA reacts to verdict

India’s foreign ministry said in a statement, “We have initial information that the Court of First Instance of Qatar has today passed a judgement in the case involving eight Indian employees of Al Dahra company,”

“We are deeply shocked by the verdict of death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgement. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options,” it added.

Verdict in the case of 8 Indians detained in Qatar:

“We are deeply shocked by the verdict of death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgement. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options

We attach high importance to… pic.twitter.com/lcCy7dAkcE

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 26, 2023

Who are the former Navy officers?

According to Indian Express, the eight veterans have been identified as Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Purenendu Tiwari, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh.

These former Navy officers were employed by a Qatar company named Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services to provide training and services such as logistics and equipment maintenance to the Qatari Emiri Navy.

They had been working with the company for the last four to six years. One of the officers awarded death penalty — Commander Purnendu Tiwari (retired) — was reportedly the managing director of the firm. In 2019, he was also awarded Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award by the former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.

Indian Express reported that Tiwari’s profile on the company website said he “commanded a minesweeper and a large amphibious warship” when he was in the Indian Navy. The website of Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, which had information about its top employees including the arrested personnel, does not exist anymore.

As per the Indian Express report, the firm’s chief executive officer (CEO), Khamis Al Ajmi, is a retired Squadron Leader of the Royal Oman Air Force.

Indian ambassador to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, and even his predecessor have visited the company facilities and lauded its work as strengthening ties between India and Qatar, the report added.

When were they nabbed?

On 30 August 2022, eight former Navy officers were picked up by Qatar’s intelligence agency – State Security Bureau. The Indian embassy in Doha apparently learnt about the arrest only in mid-September, according to Indian Express.

The officers in custody were allowed to talk to their families on the phone at the end of September, while in early October, they were visited by an official of the Indian embassy. The next consular access was provided in the first week of November, the newspaper reported earlier.

The incident came as a surprise as India and Qatar share friendly ties and have also organised joint naval exercises.

Last November, the MEA said the Indian embassy in Doha is making all possible efforts for the early release and repatriation of the detained eight former naval personnel.

“We are aware of the detention of eight Indian nationals who we understand were working for a private company in Qatar,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told reporters.

He said the Indian embassy has been in touch with Qatari authorities and that the mission officials were granted consular access and have ascertained the personnel’s well-being last month.

“The detained persons have also spoken to their family members on a few occasions. We have requested another round of consular access and we are following up with Qatari authorities on this,” he was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

The MEA spokesperson further said the embassy and ministry are in contact with the kin of the officials in Qatari custody.

All eight ex-officers were previously in solitary confinement. However, in August this year, they were shifted to cells shared by two officers each in Doha, reported The New Indian Express (TNIE). “Families of the veterans who are in Doha, or those who come visiting from India, are allowed to meet them. Once a week, phone calls are also being permitted to those who have families back home in India,” a source told the newspaper.

Charges against them

As per a Mint report, the former Indian Navy personnel were accused of spying for Israel. However, the MEA said that the “full nature of the charges is not entirely clear”.

According to Indian Express, family sources said they were not informed of the formal charges against the ex-Navy officers, either by Qatari authorities or by Indian officials.

Several of these officers retired with the rank of commander from the Indian Navy, notes Hindustan Times.

The website of Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, which had information about its top employees including the arrested personnel, does not show any details now.

When opened, it shows ‘under maintenance’ and ‘Coming soon’.

As per Indian Express, the firm’s chief executive officer (CEO), Khamis Al Ajmi, is a retired Squadron Leader of the Royal Oman Air Force.

Indian ambassador to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, and even his predecessor have visited the company facilities and lauded its work as strengthening ties between India and Qatar, reports Indian Express. 

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Families appeal to the Indian government

Dr Meetu Bhargava, sister of retired commander Purnendu Tiwari, had brought the incident to light when she sought the help of Modi, MEA and other Cabinet ministers on 27 October.

She had said on Twitter then that these eight veterans have been held in “illegal custody/detention” for “57 days”.

On 6 November, the same Twitter account took to the social media platform again to write, “The Indian Government need to act immediately, swiftly & walk the talk if they really care about their defence personnel as today is 69th day of the illegal solitary confinement of our senior citizen Navy veterans (officers) in Doha (Qatar).”

In another tweet, she added, “Many of these veterans are suffering from medical ailments because of their age. Delay in their release is causing extreme hardship to these veterans who had served their motherland & hence again plead our Government to kindly expedite their release pl” (sic).

Many of these veterans are suffering from medical ailments because of their age.
Delay in their release is causing extreme hardship to these veterans who had served their motherland & hence again plead our Government to kindly expedite their release pl.